Discovering The Truth
by sugar high4
Summary: Ron is an Undercover Auror- he can’t tell anyone what he does for a living. He’s in love with Hermione, but can he survive his job to be with her? R/Hr. Better summary inside. If you are a fan of R/Hr AT ALL you’ll love this, so at least read th
1. Prologue

Ok, I promised a bigger summary, so here it is: Ron is an undercover auror, which means that he's an auror, but nobody knows. He has to go through a lot with his family and friends, who all think he's slacking off and wasting his skills when he really is working harder than anyone. He's in love with Hermione, who has feelings for him too. When something happens to her, what will he do? And can he survive his job to be with her?  
  
Disclaimer: No, I don't own any of the characters (except for Andrew), just the plot.  
  
Prologue  
  
"Six months! It's been six months since you last tried to get a job!"  
  
"Mum. . ."  
  
"At least you tried in the beginning, but it's starting to seem like you've given up all hope!"  
  
"Maybe I have, mum."  
  
"Well, you can't stay at home forever!" Two voices carried out the kitchen window of the Burrow and into the garden, where the gnomes were having a jolly time listening to the daily fight between Mrs. Weasley and her youngest son.  
  
"Mum, I'm not going to stay at home forever, and I'm looking for a job. It's just taking me a little longer than expected."  
  
"A little longer than expected? It's been months since you got out of school, and look at you! You're still at home. Bill got his job right out of Hogwarts, and Charlie already had a position waiting in Romania when he graduated."  
  
"Well, I'm not Bill or Charlie, am I?"  
  
"But Ron, honey, I don't understand. You were a prefect! You received nearly perfect scores on all your N.E.W.T.S. You even beat Hermione in transfiguration. You should have no problems finding a job. I just don't understand."  
  
Ron didn't even pause to respond. Walking out the door, he apparated to Hogsmead. The frequent shouting matches he'd been having with his mother were really starting to get to him. If he didn't start having more fun, he was going to become as bitter as Kreacher.  
  
Ron looked up and down the streets of Hogsmead, trying to decide how to spend the rest of his day. There was the possibility of visiting The Three Broomsticks, or he could stop by the new café that had opened near the Shrieking Shack. Or. . . a red head poked out of a shop up the street, making his decision for him. He could spend the day with Fred and George.  
  
He was walking down the street when an obvious bookworm (she was reading as she walked) stepped out in front of him. Surprised, he realized that it was his favorite bookworm. "Hermione! Hey, 'Mione!" He called out.  
  
She looked up. "Hey!" She cried, hugging him. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"I thought I'd come visit Fred and George, see how their joke shop has been coming along. You?"  
  
"I needed a new book." She waved absentmindedly to the book in her hand. "What are you doing this afternoon? We could go back to my place for tea, if you want."  
  
"Sure," He responded, excitedly.  
  
As Ron followed Hermione through the streets of Hogsmead, he grinned. It was nice to see her again. It had been an entire week since she'd last been at the Burrow. When they reached her flat, Hermione made her way to the kitchen. Ron settled himself on the couch.  
  
He had always loved her flat. It was big and spacious, and she had filled it with everything she loved. Everywhere he looked he was reminded of her. Hermione's walls were filled with pictures, and in the place of honor was a blown up shot of her, Harry, and Ron. Unfortunately, beneath that picture was one of her and her boyfriend.  
  
Ron turned from the picture, knowing he wouldn't be able to mask his jealousy if he had to look at a picture of Hermione with her arms around another guy.  
  
When Hermione walked into the living room, she was carrying two hot mugs of tea. She settled herself into the chair opposite Ron, and when she opened her mouth, all of his happiness faded. "How has the job search been coming along?"  
  
"'Mione, please- I really don't want to talk about it."  
  
"But Ron- you're still living at home, without a job. Don't you think you should be looking for one?"  
  
"Maybe I have one already, I don't need to look!" He shouted at her.  
  
She looked pleased. "Do you really, Ron? Where is it?"  
  
He sighed. This was not going well. "'Mione, I don't have a job. I'm. . . I'm searching right now. I'm figuring my life out."  
  
"Ron," she said softly, "Harry is an auror. An auror! I bet he could get you a job at the ministry, and then you could buy a flat and live on your own, and. . ."  
  
He cut her off. "I don't need Harry to find me a bloody job! I'm doing fine on my own! I'm sorry if I'm not up to your standards, if I'm not the great Harry Potter, but I'm trying to be me, and you aren't making it any easier!"  
  
"I- I'm sorry." She stammered.  
  
"It's ok. Look, let's just change the subject. How has Andrew been lately?" It pained him to say Andrew's name, but at least the spotlight was no longer focused on him.  
  
Hermione reflected a moment on her boyfriend's status. "He's doing good. He just got a promotion at the ministry, and is looking for a house. Oh my gosh!"  
  
Ron jumped. "What is it?"  
  
"I was supposed to meet him half an hour ago! We were going to look at houses. Goodness. Please- lock up for me, I've got to go." She apparated out of her flat.  
  
Ron spent a few moments staring blankly at the spot where her head had been, just seconds before. He sighed- once again her boyfriend had ruined his time with her. Just last month the prat had had the nerve to show up at the Burrow. He couldn't even have time alone with her at his house anymore.  
  
He was still on the couch five minutes later when a black owl flew through the window. It held out its leg to Ron, who quickly read the attached note.  
  
~~~  
  
Pruit Street  
Paris, France  
Seven PM  
Tomorrow  
  
~~~  
  
Ron reattached the note to the owl, who flew back out the window. Sighing, he went over the time and place that had been on the parchment, to make sure he didn't forget. It wouldn't go over to well at work if he missed a mission.  
  
He smiled to himself. His life had become very twisted after Hogwarts. Based on his test scores, his personality, his work in the war, and loads of other things, he had been invited to go through an undercover auror- training program.  
  
Two months full of arduous training, while his parents and friends thought he was randomly looking for a job. Ron had graduated at the top of his class, but that didn't mean a thing, because nobody would ever know.  
  
Undercover aurors were not allowed to tell anyone, unless he/ she was a spouse, about their job. The work they did was both dangerous and secret, and the leaders of the U.A.'s had been afraid that there would be retaliation on the families of the aurors if their identities leaked out.  
  
The last thing Ron wanted to do was put Hermione, his parents, or even Harry, in danger. Instead, he lived with their pity and contempt, as a bum in his mother's house. Everyday people screamed at him to get on with his life, when, in reality, he was doing more than anyone he knew. Ron Weasley risked his life nightly, to assure that the people he cared about were safe. That was the whole reason he had taken such a secretive, difficult, and painful career. He'd wanted to fight the bad guys, and actually make a difference.  
  
As Ron mechanically locked the door to Hermione's flat, he repeated the address to himself. He wouldn't forget- he couldn't forget.  
  
That night, as he lay in bed, he knew that he needed to be thinking about his mission, getting himself ready. He had to have his mind on the task ahead. However, like most nights, he fell asleep to Hermione's face, and he passed the night dreaming of her.  
  
~~*~~**~~*~~  
  
Well, that's the prologue people. So, what say you? Good plot/ bad plot, should I continue, is it horrible, I need feedback! Please review- I'll give you a sugar cube and a cookie. I'm that nice. Besides- you review mine, I'll review yours. Thanks~  
  
~ Sugar High 


	2. The First Mission

Here's the first real chapter! I'd like to thank all my reviewers, and I'll thank you one by one in a later chapter- I promise.  
  
By the way- I'm going to answer a question from Sugar Bee that I actually asked myself while writing this. I know, Ron could have a fake job so that his family would stop bugging him and everything, but I kind of like the way his family keeps aggravating him about his job. So, in this fic, no- he's not going to have an alias job. Besides- if one of the auror's identity was discovered, and the death eaters traced it to where the auror worked, the death eaters would know who all of the U.A.'s were. So, sorry- Ron's going to have to put up with it. For a few chapters, at least. Thanks!  
  
Disclaimer: No, I don't own any of these characters (except Andrew), but if you're incredibly thick and still don't get it, just look at the top of the page. This is a fanfic!  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Ron woke up the next morning with a smile on his face. He usually did, since he usually dreamt about Hermione. The first words he thought, however, were not the cause of his smile at all. 'Pruit Street, Paris, France, seven PM, tonight.'  
  
He groaned. He got up from his bed, and as he was getting dressed he heard his mom moving around downstairs. Not wanting to be lectured on the day of a mission, he apparated straight to Hogsmeade, where he had breakfast in the new café he had been thinking about the day before.  
  
After a visit to his 'office,' a muggle building (where wizards wouldn't think of looking) for some supplies, he went to the park for training. The park was his affectionate nickname for the large, open quidditch pitch situated within miles of Hogsmeade. People from the village could play games there, and the people who owned the park were thinking about starting a quidditch league there for small children.  
  
Ron always visited the park on the days he had missions. It calmed him, and helped him prepare for the task ahead. He could soar through the sky, uninhibited, and clear his mind. And it definitely needed clearing, after the episode with Hermione the day before. As he rode through the air, Ron practiced a few simple spells. Spells that could possibly save his life later that night.  
  
~~~  
  
Hermione sighed and slammed her papers down on her desk. How could she possibly be expected to get any work done in such a state? Her brain was frazzled, her hair was a mess, and she had an unnoticed coffee stain on the bottom of her skirt. All because of him.  
  
The worst part was, the person making her a mess wasn't even the person that it should have been. It should have been Andrew, her wonderful, caring boyfriend of six months. But no. The man getting Hermione frazzled was an adorable red- headed slacker, with a temper to match his hair.  
  
If she had been smart enough to look where she was going in Hogsmeade the day before, then she would have been able to move out of his vision, ignoring him altogether. Instead, she had invited him back to her flat for tea.  
  
What had she been thinking? Hermione had been asking herself that question for 24 hours now. What had she been thinking, inviting the very man who made her rethink a six-month relationship into her house for a cup of tea? It was ludicrous, insane, and, sadly, what she wanted.  
  
Worst of all, she had been so involved with Ron that she'd forgotten all about a date with Andrew, and when she remembered the date, she hadn't wanted to go! She was supposed to be looking for Andrew's future house- what she knew Andrew wanted to be her own future house, and instead she wanted to sit on a couch drinking tea with London's greatest loss. A genius (in his own rights) who would rather mile around his mother's house all day than work.  
  
Absentmindedly she reached up and touched the flowers on her desk. From Andrew, of course. He never forgot- they came daily. Yet. . . she found the note she had received from Ron three days before much more intriguing. And all it said was,  
  
'Mione, I haven't seen you in a couple days. I miss you and I hope you can come to the Burrow next weekend. Love Ron.  
  
This made her feel much more cared for and loved than Andrew's flowers, although she had no idea why. Hermione shrugged and sighed again. She was never going to get any work done.  
  
~~~  
  
Dinner was big at the Burrow that night. The twins ate at home, and brought a bunch of their friends with them. Ron was grateful- over Lee's shouting and his brothers' antics, his mother didn't stand a chance. He hated having conversations with her lately. It wasn't that he hated his mother. It was just the topic that came up every time they had a one on one conversation. He hated being berated for his jobless status when he was risking his life almost every night.  
  
Near 6:30, he walked towards the door. "Where are you going?"  
  
"Nowhere important, mum. I think I'll just go visit Harry."  
  
"Ok. Would you mind bringing me some flour and eggs on your way home? We're almost out."  
  
"Of course, mum. I'll see you later." He went to the 'Overseas apparating office,' and then on to Paris, France.  
  
Ron loved Paris. It was one of his favorite cities, because of the huge diversity of people. He had to watch what he said about it at home, though, because he almost let it slip that he'd been there before in a conversation with Hermione.  
  
He made his way to Pruit Street, and looked for any sign of a disturbance. His blue 'Undercover Auror' robes swirled around his legs as he walked, and he listened to their swishing noise until. . . he twirled around, wand pointed, his entire body ready to fight.  
  
A gentle laugh tinkered through the air. "You always did have good reflexes, Weasley." Nymphadora Tonks stepped out of the shadows and walked up to Ron. "KB and Arthur are waiting by the tree to your right. Simon and McHale are to your left."  
  
"I know."  
  
"You always do, Ron."  
  
"So which house is it?"  
  
"296. Up the street a bit. There's a man there, named Westrol. Apparently he was a big supporter of Voldie in the old days, and was afraid of what would happen to him when the war ended. He struck up a deal with the other side. The man actually houses death eaters, in exchange for their protection."  
  
As she spoke, her hair was violently changing colors. "Woah," he said, with a twinkle in his eye. "Calm down a bit, will ya?"  
  
"Shut it, Weasley. Morgan's doing surveillance, and then we go in." They waited until the bright-eyed Bridget Morgan had returned.  
  
"He's not alone. Westrol has three, maybe four death eaters in there with him. Two are downstairs."  
  
"And Westrol?"  
  
"In front of the fire. Living room. First room on the right, from the front door."  
  
"Apparation protection?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Damn. Ok, you heard her. If you're in trouble, either call for help or run, because if it gets too sticky you can't apparate out."  
  
"It works both ways." Ron pointed out.  
  
"Good thing, too. Lets go."  
  
Within seconds, the house had been bombarded. Ron and Tonks had crashed through the back door, while the others entered the house through the front and windows.  
  
Standing in the back hall, where Ron and Tonks entered, was a death eater. "Zambini." Tonks hissed. A red ray of light flew from his wand at Tonks' chest, and Ron dove to knock her out of the way. Zambini hissed another spell, and the light flew at Ron.  
  
"Reflecto!" Ron screamed, and the light blasted back at Zambini, hitting him square in the face. Ron rushed through the rest of the house, looking for his coworkers.  
  
"Tonks!" He heard someone scream. "Tonks, the living room! Tonks!"  
  
He ran to the sound of Bridget Morgan's voice, and found her in what was indeed the living room, standing with Westrol and a masked man. The man with the mask held Morgan's wand. "Ron, duck!" A blast of energy hit the couch in front of Ron, sending it and Ron flying back into the wall. The death eater whipped out its wand again.  
  
"Weasel, is that you?" Ron recognized the voice as that of Lisa Redbanks, a Slytherin in the year above him at Hogwarts.  
  
He used her distraction to shout "WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA" at the bookcase behind her. When it came down on her head she collapsed. Bridget quickly grabbed her wand.  
  
Westrol took that opportunity to run upstairs, to the other death eaters. Ron chased after them. When he reached the second floor he found Simon writhing about. Ron muttered an incantation to stop the curse, and continued down the hall. He found another death eater with his wand pointed at McHale. "Imobulus!" Ron shouted. The death eater slowed slightly, and McHale finished with him.  
  
Ron continued down the hall to the last room. Inside he found Westrol, crouched down behind the last death eater in the house. "Impedimenta!" The death eater shouted.  
  
"Protego!" The spell bounced back at the death eater, and Ron had time to yell "Petrificus Totalus!" The death eater was down. Slowly, Ron walked towards Westrol. "Expelliarmus." Westrol's wand flew into Ron's hand. "Wingardium Leviosa!" His feet then slowly left the ground.  
  
Calmly, Ron walked over to him. By this time, the rest of his team had reached the room. "Hello, Westrol. I'm Ron. I'm here to tell you that you have just received the opportunity to spend a lifetime in Azkaban. Congratulations."  
  
Ron returned to his house that night with nothing more than a bump on his head, and when Mrs. Weasley walked into the kitchen the next morning there were flour and eggs sitting on the kitchen table.  
  
~~*~~**~~*~~  
  
Wow- another chapter done. I had to include Tonks in this chapter- she's one of the coolest characters in the 5th book! I really hope you guys like this, and please, let me know whether you do or don't by reviewing. Remember- a cookie and a sugar cube! And, of course, I'll review yours if you review mine (although it might take me a while, I'm going out of town, but I SWEAR I will!). Please review, and thank you if you already did!  
  
By the way- thanks so much to Ron- Is- Mine, you were the first reviewer ever for my story! You get a whole bag of cookies!  
  
~ Sugar High 


	3. Dinner at the Burrow

Thanks so much, guys, for your reviews. I hope you like this chapter- tell me by clicking on the purple button!  
  
Disclaimer: Go ahead, sue me, I have no money anyway (tries to hide baby- sitting money in safe). Agh, it won't fit! Oh well. Then I guess I'd better tell you that I don't own anything. So sad. . .  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Ron spent he next day at Fred and George's shop. His head hurt more than he had realized, and he needed an excuse. Weasley's Wizard Wheezes was the perfect place to go. The store was filled with head growing/ shrinking chewables, loud noises, and frequent crashes. When he returned to the Burrow later that night his head hurt more than it had before, if that was possible.  
  
He was on the couch reading a book about defensive spells, when his mom walked in. "Ronald?"  
  
"Yes mum?"  
  
"I was just wondering- you never answered me about Hermione. Is she coming to dinner tomorrow?"  
  
"That's what she told me," he replied sleepily.  
  
"Good. Will she be bringing that lovely boyfriend of hers?"  
  
Ron nearly fell out of his seat. "Her- her what? Bloody hell, is this some kind of conspiracy? No, he will not be coming. And he's not that lovely!"  
  
"Whatever you say, dear." Laughing, Mrs. Weasley walked back into the kitchen.  
  
Ron sighed, and tried to go back to his book, but he couldn't concentrate. Typical. Even his mother loved Andrew. No wonder Hermione was so hooked on him. The more he thought about it, the more he thought that Andrew's appearance at dinner would make sense. Andrew would keep him in line- in check, around Hermione. Not that he wanted to be in check, but he didn't exactly want to do anything embarrassing, either.  
  
Glancing back at his book and again realizing that he was going to get nothing done in such a state, Ron walked up the stairs and went to bed.  
  
~~~  
  
The next morning Hermione was more frazzled than ever. She'd had a dream about Ron. An actual full on, romantic dream about her best friend. She was sure she needed therapy. And then, to top everything off, she'd screwed up big time with Andrew.  
  
He'd called before she left for work, and asked her if she wanted to go out for a nice fancy dinner. "I can't," she'd replied. "I'm going out with Ron."  
  
"What! What do you mean, you're going out with- "  
  
"I'm having dinner at his family's home." She'd corrected herself.  
  
"It seems like you're with him more than you're with me, Herms." She tried to shake off his use of that nickname. "You were half an hour late on Wednesday, and you have to miss dinner tonight. . ."  
  
"I grew up with his family, Andrew. I already had plans, and I don't intend to break them." She'd said angrily, before slamming down the phone. That day two bouquets of flowers arrived, along with a giant card that said he was sorry.  
  
On her way to work she'd realized something about her conversation with Andrew. She hadn't wanted to correct herself. She'd wanted to be right, she wanted to be going out to dinner with Ron. Mentally, she slapped herself. She couldn't keep having these visions of her and Ron. Especially because she was in love with Andrew. And because Andrew loved her. And because Ron was her best friend. And because Ron didn't return her feelings, so she would be ruining a relationship for nothing.  
  
Hermione sighed. She really did need help.  
  
~~~  
  
Ron put on his khakis and a nice shirt. The least he could do was make a good impression on Hermione. Show her that her precious Andrew wasn't the only one who could dress well. When the doorbell rang he was ready. He opened the door with a flourish, lifting Hermione off her feet and placing her inside the Burrow.  
  
Laughing, she handed him a bunch of flowers. "Ooh, making the first move, are you?" He asked, teasingly.  
  
"Shut up, you git. These are for your mother." Ron pretended to huff and puff his way into the kitchen, but when he returned his smile was as bright as ever.  
  
"So how have you been?"  
  
"You just saw me two days ago."  
  
"Well, since then."  
  
"Fine. A little overworked, perhaps. But I'm fine."  
  
"You? Overworked? Never! And you're only fine? By the time you leave this house tonight, you'll be radiating."  
  
"I always am." She said, with a smile on her face.  
  
"So what do you say to a quick- "  
  
"Game of chess?" She finished for him. Ron blushed. "I'd love to. I've been practicing."  
  
Apparently her practicing was for naught, because Ron still beat her pretty badly. "Have you talked to Harry lately?" He asked her.  
  
"Not since last week. He has been working pretty hard lately. He's only taken a few weekends off since he began working." Ron raised an eyebrow. "He goes to see Ginny whenever Hogwarts has a Hogsmeade weekend." She explained.  
  
"So they're still going strong?" He asked.  
  
"I guess. I haven't talked to Ginny in a while, though. I can't be sure."  
  
Dinner was incredible that night. Ron and Hermione both thought the food tasted better than normal. They never stopped talking, unless they had to explain what they were talking about to Mr. or Mrs. Weasley.  
  
Ron had a start when Mrs. Weasley kindly asked about Andrew. Happily for Ron, Hermione just brushed the question off by saying that Andrew was fine, before she turned back to Ron.  
  
That night Hermione and Ron had hot chocolate in front of the fire. "Do you remember all the other times we've done this?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Yea, 'Mione. It's become a tradition." She laid her head on his shoulder.  
  
"I love that nickname. It's so much better than 'Ninny' was." Looking down at her, Ron saw that she had a twinkle in her eyes.  
  
"Don't even bring that up. I was stupid, and jealous, and fourteen."  
  
"Yes, you were." The two sat in companionable silence for a while, before Ron sat up straight.  
  
"Why don't we go for a walk?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"The fairies in the fields will light the way, and it's November, 'Mione. We don't have many good days left this year. This could be our last chance to walk without having to plow through snowdrifts, or dodge snowballs."  
  
"But you love the snow, Weasley. Don't deny it."  
  
"I know, I just- "  
  
"A walk could be fun, you're right. Just let me grab my jacket."  
  
In minutes they were ready to leave. They walked outside, and that was when it happened.  
  
"Herm, darling. Going somewhere?" Ron heard the voice before he saw Andrew walk out of the shadows.  
  
"Andrew. What- what are you doing here?"  
  
"I came to see you, of course. I thought we could go somewhere when you finished here."  
  
"Well, Ron and I were just going for a walk. Why don't you go back- "  
  
"I'll join you, of course." He said, smiling broadly. "I'm sure Ronald won't mind."  
  
"Ron." Ron growled his name under his breath. "And how do you know that I- "  
  
"Look, Andrew. Why don't you just go back to your flat? I'll meet you there when I'm done, if you really need to talk to me."  
  
The group was in the garden now. Ron was standing there, silently, looking at Andrew with disbelief. There was no way this prat was ruining his time with Hermione again. No way. Suddenly, he felt something near the back of his head. Whipping around, he saw an owl. Quickly, he read the note attached to the owl's leg.  
  
Emergency  
15 Cauldwell Circle  
Hampshire  
NOW  
  
With one last look at the arguing couple, he apparated to Hampshire.  
  
"I think Ron had something he needed to tell me. Something he didn't want you to know, dear. Not because you couldn't know, but because you're still a stranger to him. Right, Ron?"  
  
She turned around, but Ron wasn't there.  
  
~~*~~**~~*~~  
  
Another chapter finished! Yay! I really need to thank a bunch of you. To all my reviewers, THANK YOU. I'll have individual praises in a later chapter. And again, please review, cuz if you do mine, I'll do yours. REVIEW!  
  
~ Sugar High 


	4. Will to Survive

Ok- this is a big chapter. There's actually a plot! I know- fascinating. This entire story is dedicated to Baci, for her help in posting it. You should all go read her fic- it's great!  
  
Disclaimer: I'm not feeling particularly witty at the moment. I'm not J.K Rowling. If I was, Ron and Hermione would have gotten together long ago, and this would be written much better than it is.  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Ron's mission in Hampshire took most of the night. Another group of U.A.s had gotten stuck in a death eater's mansion there. When Ron arrived the rest of his team was already waiting outside the house. Inside, they launched a bloody battle, which lasted for hours.  
  
Ron's leg was broken by a ricocheting spell, and Simon (who was also a healer) had to mend it on the spot. Ron knew it would be sore for days. By dawn the death eaters of the house had been captured. Not without sacrifice, though. Two members of the original U.A. team were killed.  
  
~~~  
  
Ron slept for most of the following day. It wasn't a peaceful sleep, however. It was full of nightmares, and images of the two wizards that had been killed the night before. Ron knew that he was one of the best aurors on his team, but McGrath had been too, and he was one of the men killed.  
  
Ron couldn't imagine the shock on his family's faces. The pain that Harry and Hermione would have to suffer. He would never want to put his family through that. They were so innocent, so unsuspecting, and if Ron was killed they would be devastated.  
  
He tried to shake off these nightmares by reminding himself of all the successful missions he had been on. It didn't work. He knew that he would have to spend the next day at the park. His mind needed clearing. It always did, after something like that happened.  
  
~~~  
  
Hermione couldn't imagine what had happened to Ron on Friday. He had just disappeared! She'd ended up going out for a late tea with Andrew, but nothing he said could get her off the subject of Ron's disappearance.  
  
She was so worried about him that she visited the Burrow on Saturday. Mrs. Weasley had told her that Ron was sleeping. That worried Hermione, since it was three in the afternoon. Now, as she walked through the streets of Hogsmeade, she again reflected on his strange behavior. Maybe he had disappeared because of Andrew.  
  
Hermione knew that Ron didn't like him, no matter how much he pretended. She sighed. Everything had been going so well between the two of them until Andrew had showed up. Not that Andrew couldn't come visit her or anything, it was just that she and Ron hadn't been able to hang out a lot lately. Like they used to. Well, that had been her excuse to Andrew, anyway.  
  
Looking up at the people around her, she saw a familiar red head walking out of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. "Ron! Hey, Ron!" She cried.  
  
He looked up, and gave her a halfhearted wave. "Ron! I'm so glad I found you, I was wondering- "  
  
"Where's Andrew?" He cut her off.  
  
"I. I don't know, actually. Where did you go on Friday? I turned around, and you were gone!"  
  
"I wanted to leave you and Andrew alone- I guess I just didn't want to be in the way." He hated lying to her. He just hoped she wouldn't be able to tell that he was.  
  
"Oh, Ron!" No, she was too clouded by emotions. "You're never in the way. You're my best friend, Andrew is just going to have to deal with that."  
  
He mumbled something that was completely inaudible, but he was smiling, which Hermione guessed was a good sign.  
  
"Did you hurt your leg, Ron? You're walking kind of funny."  
  
"Oh. Yeah, I. . . fell out of bed."  
  
"Ron!" She patted his head while laughing. "Are you telling me that you're still the clumsy, lanky Ron I grew up with? I thought you were growing out of that phase."  
  
"Me too." He said, under his breath.  
  
~~~  
  
A week later Ron was back to his normal self. He had gotten over the deaths (he always did), was back to normal with Hermione, and was even fighting with his mum again. Wednesday morning an owl found him, with a mission for that night.  
  
He spent the day at the park, getting himself ready. He stopped by his office and received any supplies he might need. At six he arrived in Surrey. He and Tonks laid out the mission plan. There were seven death eaters in the house. That was one for each member of the team. Two were the well-known Crabbe and Goyle (the parents, not the kids).  
  
They invaded the house, and everything was going normally. Tonks easily bagged a death eater in the kitchen. The bloke had been stupid enough to throw a knife at her. Ron ran upstairs, to the second level in the house. On his way he passed Bridget Morgan and a death eater dueling on a coffee table.  
  
Upstairs he passed a room with KB and Arthur dueling with two unfortunate death eaters who, by the looks of it, were sadly losing. He was running into the last room when he heard it. "AVADA KEDAVRA!"  
  
"McHale." He whispered, under his breath. When he entered, he found two death eaters hoarding over the dead body of Drew McHale. Not even stopping to think Ron pointed his wand at one of them and shouted "Rictusempra!" The person flew back into a wall. The other one pointed his wand at Ron.  
  
"Crucio!" Ron writhed and cowered in pain, until all of his strength overpowered the curse. The death eater pointed his wand back at Ron. "Avada Kedavra!"  
  
"Protego!" Ron shouted, and the spell bounced back. The death eater tried again, but this time, Ron was ready. "Petrificus Totalus!" He shouted at the other death eater. When the first one used the killing curse again Ron shouted "Reflecto!" It reflected and hit the other death eater, who couldn't move.  
  
"No!" The death eater shouted. "You'll pay, Weasley. IMPEDIMENTA!" Ron couldn't move- he was finished. He closed his eyes, when-  
  
"Stupify!" He heard Simon yell, from behind him. "Finite." Ron felt the curse being lifted. "Ron- we have to go. Tonks set the house on fire."  
  
"Watch out!" Ron shouted. The death eater had overcome the curse, and with one wave of his wand he sent Simon crashing into a wall. The death eater moved his wand again, and Ron felt like a blade had just been thrust into his stomach. Looking down, he saw that he was bleeding profusely.  
  
"Silencio!" Ron shouted, to lessen the power in the man's curses. He flew backwards into a wall. The man performed a cure on himself, and walked over to Ron.  
  
"Crucio!" He shouted. Ron felt his whole body twitch, but he didn't have enough energy to break through the curse. 'Hermione.' He thought to himself. 'I have to live, for Hermione.' The death eater was standing over him once more.  
  
"Avada ked- " Ron flicked his wand, and the chandelier on the ceiling of the room came crashing down on the death eater's head. Ron could smell smoke now. He crawled over to Simon.  
  
"Simon- Simon, run!" Slowly the man stirred, before getting himself up. He reached for Ron's hand, but Ron shook him away. "Go!" He shouted. "I'll see you outside- just go!"  
  
Simon shook his head, so Ron took out his wand. "Simon, this whole place is about to go down. Get your ass out of this building or I'm going to curse you in ways you've never even heard about."  
  
Slowly, Simon turned and ran. Ron was crawling for the stairs. He had to get out of the house, and he had to see Hermione again. Not surviving wasn't an option. He was moving very slowly, the smoke was really starting to get to him. As he reached the stairs, he heard a voice from behind him call out. "Going somewhere, Weasley?"  
  
Groaning, Ron turned. There was a death eater at the end of the hall, in the direction he'd just come from. The man raised his wand. "Now you'll die." As he said those words, the whole house collapsed from under them.  
  
~~~  
  
Hermione couldn't sleep. She hadn't been able to sleep for three days. It had been that long since Mrs. Weasley had called to ask her if she had seen Ron. He'd left one night at around five and hadn't come back since.  
  
No one had seen or heard from him in three days. Hermione knew that something was wrong. Ron wouldn't just disappear and not tell anyone. He was more considerate than that. She bit back the sob threatening to escape from her throat.  
  
What would she do if something had happened to him? How would she be able to survive? The sob found its way out. Soon the tears in her eyes did too. Suddenly, she heard a knock at the door. "Hello?" No one responded.  
  
Grabbing her wand, she made her way to the door. Thrusting it open, she pointed her wand at whoever was standing there. With a sigh of relief she realized that it was. . . Ron? She let out a cry. His body was covered with severe burns, and he was covered in blood.  
  
He fell into her arms. "Hermione," he whispered. Then he collapsed.  
  
~~*~~**~~*~~  
  
Ooh. How was that for a chapter? Now the story has a little bit more of a plot, I'm happy to say. Please- this was a hard chapter to write (I don't do fighting scenes well). Let me know what you think about it in a review!  
  
~ Sugar High 


	5. The Best Holiday

Hey everybody, I'm back. Ron and Hermione fans, you'll like this chapter, I hope. I'm sorry it took me so long to update, but I was out of town. Again, I'd like to thank Baci, for posting the first three chapters for me while I was away.  
  
Disclaimer: Yet again, I don't own Harry, Ron, Hermione, etc. But if I did. . . the world would be a different place.  
  
Chapter 4  
  
After a moment of severe shock had passed, Hermione half-carried, half- dragged Ron into her bedroom. She walked to the fireplace, where she intended to call the nearest healer. "Hermione." She heard Ron again. Whipping around, she ran to his side. "Hermione, please- no." He nodded his head towards the fireplace.  
  
"Ok, Ron. Whatever you- " But when she turned around, he was asleep again. "Need." She finished softly. Unquestioningly, Hermione delved into her nearest drawer for her own medical bag and began to do all she could to ease and soothe his wounds.  
  
As she ripped the remaining shreds of his shirt from his body she gasped. It looked like he had been in some kind of explosion. His chest was torn, his torso burned, and the wonderful abs she had come to love were covered by a sheet of blood.  
  
She rubbed her hands over his wounds, trying to feel what needed healing. "Ron? What did this to you? Please tell me what happened- please. Come on, Ron." But of course he didn't answer.  
  
Two days later, Ron had shown no signs of improvement. He was still on blood capsules and was losing his own blood quickly. The burns were still dark, the cuts still deep, and worst of all, he was still unconscious.  
  
Hermione began to reread all of her old medical books for information on how to deal with wounds received in battle. Those accounted for at least some of the ones Ron had, she was sure. She called muggle doctors, posing as a student doing a thesis for college, asking them the best ways to deal with third degree burns. She did everything she could to help Ron.  
  
She had owled his mother the night he'd appeared outside her door. 'Ron is fine- ' it read. 'His owl was lost when trying to reach you, to tell you that he'd decided to stay in Hogsmeade for a couple of days. He's going to be at my apartment- don't worry, I'll take good care of him.' She signed it with her name, and then added to the bottom as an afterthought. 'P.S. He's here looking for a job.'  
  
'That'll keep her happy.' She thought to herself, as she'd returned to Ron. Hermione hadn't left his side since his arrival. She'd called her boss and lied about a family emergency, pneumonia, the death of a beloved pet, a bad break up, and anything else she'd had to say to get the week off from work. Luckily, she had never taken a sick day in her life, and he was happy to give her time off.  
  
~~~  
  
Another two days showed a slight improvement in Ron's condition. Hermione was still worried. He hadn't awoken yet, and a good portion of his wounds had been caused by magic, meaning that they could turn at any moment, killing him in an instant. Hermione still refused to leave her flat, instead remaining by Ron's side.  
  
Every second not spent tending his wounds was used in speculation about how he received them. They weren't ordinary wounds- they were taking too long to heal. The burns on his legs could have been caused by a fire, but that didn't account for the gashes on his chest or the large bruise on the back of his head. If he'd been in a wizard duel, he could have easily received the gashes and bruises, but being burned as well was highly unlikely.  
  
And there was the most important question of all. Why her? Why had he gone to Hermione's flat, of all places, when he was severely injured? He could have gone home- his parents knew more than she about wizard medicine. He could have gone to his brothers. Fred and George had numerous connections- at least some of them had to be with medical personnel. Instead, he had chosen to find her.  
  
~~~  
  
As the week drew to a close, Hermione's worry increased. If he wasn't awake by the end of the week, she would have to call someone. He could die in her apartment, and would, at the rate he was going. She had tried everything she knew to help, but he wasn't getting any better.  
  
The very next day, while she was sitting beside him, holding his hand, his eyes opened. Ron looked up, and the first thing he saw was his 'Mione, silently crying over his body. Looking down, he saw why. Without moving the rest of his body, he squeezed her hand. Quickly, she turned her head to look at his face.  
  
"Ron! You're awake, you're ok!"  
  
"Whatever gave you he impression that I wasn't?" He asked, while trying to sit himself up. All he got for his efforts was a shooting pain that seemed the travel the entire length of his spinal cord.  
  
"Don't you dare!" She said harshly. "You'll just hurt yourself some more." With that, she happily bustled out of the room and into the kitchen. When she came back, she had a full tray full of soup, crackers, and an assortment of wizard candies.  
  
Looking up at her face, he slowly reached for a chocolate frog. She didn't even scold him! She just smiled happily and grinned at him like a maniac.  
  
Unfortunately, when his arm got to a certain angle needed to reach the frog, he felt another shooting pain. He gasped quite loudly, and Hermione looked at him closely. "Ron, I'm so sorry. I should have known!" She picked up the frog herself, and began to feed it to him.  
  
"Um, 'Mione. You didn't tell anyone about, well, me, did you?"  
  
"No. I didn't think you'd want me to."  
  
"Oh. All right then." She had moved onto the soup, which was almost gone when she heard a knock at the door.  
  
She got up, and closing the door all but a crack behind her, moved to the front door. Upon opening the door, she found a very surely Andrew. He had a smile on his face and roses in his hand. "I've decided that you've been home for too long. We are going to spend the day in Hogsmeade, darling."  
  
Hermione heard a loud crash from her bedroom, and hastily turned to Andrew. "Ron's. . . owl is in there, and it's making quite a racket."  
  
"I'll get rid of it," he said, as he began to move for the room.  
  
"No! I mean, I haven't given it the letter I need it to deliver yet, so there's really no point."  
  
"Oh." Andrew stopped moving. "So, are you ready to go, or do I need to wait a moment?"  
  
"Look, this is a very bad time. I'm really sorry, but I just can't go with you today." Andrew looked taken aback.  
  
"But Herms," he began, but Hermione cut him off.  
  
"I'm sorry. I can't go." She began to usher him towards the door.  
  
"You will remember about Thanksgiving, though?" Hermione sighed. She'd almost forgotten about Thanksgiving. Andrew had numerous American relatives, all of them from his mother's side, and he had grown up celebrating the holiday. Hermione knew she was supposed to celebrate it with him, she just didn't know when, or where.  
  
Hermione searched her brain for whatever she was supposed to remember. "Oh! Dinner, at- at that restaurant. You see, about that- "  
  
"Herms, it's a very important, expensive place. You don't just make reservations and then break them! Besides, I told you about this weeks ago."  
  
"I'm sorry, Andrew. I'll be a bit tied up for a while. Soon, though." Sighing, he leaned down and kissed her cheek. Hermione smiled as she heard another crash in the bedroom.  
  
"Well, I'll owl you, ok love?" Nodding, she shut the door. When she returned to her bedroom, she found Ron trying to scramble back to his original place in her bed. The bedside table lamp was on the floor.  
  
"Eavesdropping?" She questioned, slyly. Then she began laughing, for the first time in over a week. Ron laughed too, knowing that for some reason she wasn't mad at him.  
  
The days passed, and slowly, Ron began to improve. He could sit up in bed, the burns were lighter, and the gashes were smaller. Hermione had even left him alone, when she'd gone to the Burrow to collect some of his things.  
  
She wanted, more than anything, to know what had happened to him, but he had not volunteered that information, and she didn't intend to ask. If he didn't want to tell her, he didn't have to.  
  
~~~  
  
Soon, it was the day before Thanksgiving. Ron had turned all bright and cheery when Hermione told him. She was amazed that Ron had ever heard about the American holiday, but he explained to her that before Bill had settled down in Egypt, he had been stationed throughout the world. He had lived in America for almost two years. When he returned to the Burrow one November, he'd shared the American holiday with the rest of the family.  
  
"And I'm glad he did!" When she laughed, he looked put out. "It's not funny, 'Mione! Thanksgiving is the best holiday of the year! There's turkey, and stuffing, and cranberries, and rolls, and. . ." He continued with his list, but Hermione didn't hear the rest. She was busy thinking. 'Of course Thanksgiving is Ron's favorite holiday. There's food!' Smiling to herself, she thought about it some more. Soon, she was determined to make that the best Thanksgiving of his life.  
  
She went shopping that night, buying everything she would need to make dinner. The next morning, she set to work. She spent the entire day cooking turkey and making pie, determined to have all of his favorites for dinner that night.  
  
As soon as she finished that evening, she made a tray that she carried into her bedroom. Ron's eyes grew wide at the sight, and he licked his lips hungrily, making her laugh. She sat down next to him on the bed, and began to feed him bits of turkey. It was then that her doorbell rang. Sighing, she told Ron that she would be back soon.  
  
She opened the door to find Andrew, yet again. She held back a sigh. He was dressed impeccably, in a suit and tie. "Andrew, I told you, I can't go out tonight."  
  
"Nonsense. You can, and you will."  
  
"I can't. I'm sorry. I really am." It was then that she noticed her bedroom door. She had completely forgotten to close it! She gasped, and Andrew followed her gaze.  
  
He walked over to the bedroom, nearly pushing Hermione out of his way. She protested as much as she could, but to no avail. Andrew walked into the room, and. . .  
  
Hermione stifled a laugh. Ron was lying in the bed. There was a bandage around his head and a thermometer sticking out of his mouth. His cheeks were purple, and there was a pile of tissues near his right hand. Hermione couldn't decide whether he looked more like a war hero or a little kid, trying to get the day off from school.  
  
"What's this?" Andrew asked, coldly and coolly.  
  
"He's sick. Very sick. He has pneumonia."  
  
"So you have skipped all of our dates in the last two weeks and are missing the most important dinner of our lives to take care of this- this- slacker?" Ron rolled his eyes. Couldn't the guy at least come up with something original? But Hermione's eyes flashed.  
  
"Ronald Weasley is by no means a slacker. Don't you ever insult him again. Ever." Her voice had a scary coldness to it. Mentally, Ron backed away from her.  
  
"So this is it? You would break a date with me just to take care of him? I don't think so. Hermione, you'll have to choose. You can't have both of us at once. It's either him, or me." Andrew moved to the door of the flat, as if he were going to leave.  
  
Hermione pictured herself in five years. Waking up in the morning next to the man she loved, knowing that there were two sleeping children in the room next door. And the man she wanted to wake up next to was not Andrew. Not Andrew at all.  
  
Slowly, she walked towards him. Ron felt his heart sink. Hermione looked up into her boyfriend's face. "That's sad, Andrew. I'm going to miss you." With that, she shut the door of her flat in his face.  
  
When she returned to her bedroom Ron was staring at her openmouthed. She found the tray of food on a table next to the bed. Turning to him, she lifted the fork. "Hungry?"  
  
~~*~~**~~*~~  
  
Wow- another chapter finished. I hope you all liked that one. Please, review and tell me. And thank you to all of you who have reviewed already. Remember, you review mine, I'll review yours. I know I haven't done that yet, it was rather difficult to get to a computer in Disney World, but I'm going to spend the week reading/ reviewing your stories (and updating this one, of course). I'll thank you all individually soon, probably in the next chapter. Please, review! Thanks a ton~  
  
~ Sugar High 


	6. A Vision of You

OK. Sheesh! I KNOW that Thanksgiving is an American holiday, and that it's not celebrated in England. Sorry, but I didn't know of any holidays in England around that time, so I just used Thanksgiving. Besides, I assumed that Ron would like that holiday. I rewrote part of the last chapter- minor details about Thanksgiving. I would really appreciate it if you would all reread the chapter and let me know if it's any better. Thanks!  
  
~ Sugar High  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine. Although I wish it was.  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Hermione looked up into her boyfriend's face. "That's sad, Andrew. I'm going to miss you." With that, she shut the door of her flat in his face.  
  
When she returned to her bedroom Ron was staring at her openmouthed. She found the tray of food on a table next to the bed. Turning to him, she lifted the fork. "Hungry?"  
  
~~*~~**~~*~~  
  
"Why did you do that?"  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"That!"  
  
"Bloody hell, Ron! Do I need a reason for everything?"  
  
"Hermione! You swore! You need a reason for that!"  
  
"You were aggravating me!"  
  
The two sat silently for a moment, until she added, "Maybe I just felt like doing something no one expected for a change, ok?"  
  
He shook his head for a moment, but remained silent. He seemed to accept her response, because he opened his mouth so she could continue to feed him.  
  
The two sat companionably together for a while, before Ron opened his mouth to speak. "Hermione, I need to tell you something." She raised her head quickly. "I- well, I owe you an explanation."  
  
"What is it?" He scowled at her. She was feigning innocence. She knew exactly what he wanted to tell her! Ron gestured to his body.  
  
"This. How this all happened. Why I'm here."  
  
She remained silent, nodding her head for him to continue. "Hermione, I'm an auror." Her jaw dropped. This was not the explanation she had expected. "An undercover one," he continued, as if he hadn't seen her.  
  
"But- Ron, what are you talking about? There are no such things as undercover aurors!"  
  
He smiled grimly. "Ah. Finally something 'Mione couldn't read about in a book." She scowled, and he ignored her. "We exist. There aren't very many of us, but we're out there."  
  
"I still don't understand." She said, the shock evident on her face.  
  
"Let me explain. Last year, at graduation, Nymphadora Tonks approached me. I assumed she was just there to congratulate me, either for passing all my N.E.W.T.S or for defeating Voldemort with you and Harry." Now that Voldemort was dead many wizards found it easier to speak his name.  
  
"Instead, she slipped a piece of paper into my hand. It had directions and a time on it. I assumed that I shouldn't tell you or Harry, or she would have said something."  
  
A look of hurt crossed Hermione's face. "You never told me.."  
  
"I know, but what would you have done in that situation?"  
  
"That's easy. I'd have immediately- oh.." She stopped herself mid sentence. "Ok, so go on."  
  
Ron glanced at her and continued. "I followed the directions and got to the place that night. Tonks was waiting. She explained that there was a secret group being started. The Undercover Aurors. She wanted me to join."  
  
"U.A.'s are aurors, in every sense of the word, except that the missions we go on are more dangerous, and more secretive. We normally don't even know about them until immediately beforehand."  
  
"So that's where you went the other night? On a mission?"  
  
Ron nodded his head. "The owl arrived in the middle of your argument with Andrew." He motioned towards a glass of water, and she helped him take a sip before he continued.  
  
"Tonks told me all about it. How the job was dangerous, difficult, time consuming, and could cause problems in other aspects of life. No U.A.'s have jobs- we wouldn't be able to deal with them and be ready to leave on missions instantaneously."  
  
"Couldn't you have alias jobs? They could set up a shop, and you could all pretend to work in it or something. Or they could get you all fake ministry jobs."  
  
"They tried that." He replied sadly. "When we fight, generally the Death Eaters find out who we are. It usually doesn't matter, because we capture them and they never see each other again. However, if one escapes, they might go after the person the recognized. U.A.'s are divided into groups of between eight and ten witches and wizards. We are to have no contact with the other U.A.'s in our group, because Death Eaters might figure out who those people are and get them too."  
  
She nodded to show that she understood, but still looked vaguely puzzled.  
  
"Do you remember Eric Peterson, 'Mione? He was a U.A. In the first batch, the one that had alias jobs. Goyle sr. recognized him in a raid, and then escaped. He did some research on the company Peterson worked for, and discovered the truth. By six AM the next morning all nine members of the team were dead. Their families as well."  
  
"Oh Ron! That's horrible!" Hermione had tears running down her face. "Has anyone you know ever.. ever died?" He shook his head yes and motioned for the water again.  
  
"We can't tell anyone what we do, including our families, because there are major safety issues to deal with."  
  
"But you're telling me."  
  
"I know. I must be daft." He laughed at the expression on her face. "After school I went through a two month training course. I had to learn everything a normal auror learned in years in months. Tonks was right, it was hard. But we dealt."  
  
Hermione was shocked. So many things were beginning to make sense, but so many new questions were forming in her head. "So- so I guess you did well in this training course, because they made you an auror."  
  
"Moderately."  
  
"But Ron, why do we even need undercover aurors? Most problems that need solving these days can be solved by regular aurors."  
  
"'Mione, all those days ago, when you answered your door and found me, you had your wand in your hand. Why?"  
  
"You can never be too careful, Ron. There are still Death Eaters lurking out there, and as a friend of Harry, I wouldn't want to make myself vulnerable."  
  
"Exactly. There are still Death Eaters out there. A lot more than people like to think. Since the end of the war, their numbers have not decreased. Not even slightly. And," he peered at her closely, "they've elected a new leader."  
  
He saw the look of surprise cross her face, and heard her gasp. Her reaction was similar to his own just months before.  
  
"We don't know who it is. Yet. But this person seems to be rallying more and more Death Eaters to join his ranks. Death Eaters we've captured think he'll be a better leader than Voldemort." Again, she gasped. "Unless we can figure out this person's identity soon, there will be another war. Our side is not prepared to deal with that."  
  
Hermione had shifted her position. She was now sitting next to Ron, leaning on him, allowing them to support each other. She was also looking directly into his eyes.  
  
"That's why I do it, 'Mione! Don't you get it? I don't want you, or anyone else I care about, to be afraid. I don't want Ginny to be afraid in school, I don't want you to be afraid to open your door, and I'll die before I see you fight in another war." His eyes flashed dangerously.  
  
There were silent tears running down Hermione's cheeks. "But why you, Ron?" She asked. "Couldn't they- I mean, what about- "  
  
"Harry?" He finished. "Harry's too obvious. If he hadn't become an auror straight out of Hogwarts, or decided to play international quidditch, Death Eaters would have realized that something was amiss."  
  
"As for your other question, why me? Specifically?" He laughed almost bitterly. "Don't you get it? I'm perfect for the job. I'm intelligent, when I actually try. I'm good at the usual, everyday spells and charms that come in handy when fighting for one's life. And who on earth would ever suspect Ron Weasley- class clown and famous slacker and rule breaker, to be an undercover auror? When I tell people that I have no job they just shake their heads and feel sorry for me."  
  
"Not everyone sees you that way, you know." Hermione hugged him, as if to prove her point. "So how did all of this happen?" She was looking at the scars still evident on many parts of his body.  
  
"Well, I finished the training course and became a U.A. I was assigned to Tonks' group, along with six others. We've been a team ever since. Last week, I received an owl.."  
  
Ron described the message he'd received, as well as the mission he'd gone on. When he reached the part about McHale Hermione shuddered. "You might have been killed too, and then where would I be?" He told her about his battle with Crabbe and Goyle, and about Tonks and Simon. About the fire, and the mysterious person who had tried to kill him right before the house collapsed.  
  
"I crawled out, badly burned, and there was no sign of anyone from my group. I was in no condition to apparate or use floo powder, so I crawled here. It took me a while, because I had to stop a few times. I thought someone might be following me."  
  
"Ron, it's a miracle you even made it out alive. And then to get all the way here in that condition!" Another tear ran down her cheek. "You could have died." She reflected on that for a moment before jumping up. "Ron, you have to tell Tonks! She's probably worried sick about you!"  
  
"I already did." He was enjoying the surprised look on her face.  
  
"But when? How did you do that?"  
  
"Oh, I've got skills." He told her, emphasizing the last word. "Besides, you sleep pretty soundly."  
  
Hermione had settled back down next to Ron. She grabbed his hand. His eyes met hers. "What is it?"  
  
"Ron, I have another question." He nodded for her to continue. "Why me? I mean, when you were hurt, why did you come to me, of all people?"  
  
Ron looked unsure as how to proceed. It took him a few minutes to gather his thoughts enough to speak. He opened his mouth a few times, but thought better of it each time and closed it again.  
  
Finally he braced himself. He was ready. "Hermione, there has been one constant thing. A person, actually, that has kept me strong throughout my life. One person who makes my life worth living and gives me something to live for. That person is you."  
  
"During the war, whenever I thought that all was lost I would just picture your face, and I would have the drive to fight again. The other night, picturing your face kept me alive. Goyle performed the cruciatus curse on me. I saw you and was able to overcome it. Visions of you gave me the strength to get out of the house."  
  
"I knew that if I were to survive anywhere it would be here. With you. With my 'Mione." He stopped and looked down at her face. He couldn't quite gauge her reaction.  
  
She didn't seem angry. She wasn't crying anymore. There was no sign of the smiles and laughter he had been hoping for.  
  
Then, within seconds, every emotion besides elation and bliss, and every reasonable thought in the poor boy's head, was pushed out when Hermione unexpectedly leaned forward and passionately kissed him full on the lips.  
  
~~*~~**~~*~~  
  
Touché. So.. good, bad, you like? I'm hoping you do. I like this chapter, although I'm a bit jealous. Why does Hermione always get the good ones? Anyway, please, review. I'd really appreciate it, and you'll get a review in return, of course. Always a perk, lol. Thanks!  
  
Ahem. Here are the messages I promised you all in an earlier chapter-  
  
Illustrious- true, the last chapter did lack in Ron kicking ass, but no worries. Later chapters will make up for that 100 percent. I hope.  
  
Emmylou- thanks for your reviews! No, the Arthur in Ron's team isn't his father. I'm afraid I've sadly neglected him, but no, he has no idea about what Ron does for a living.  
  
EvilFireWitch- I completely agree, if Andrew was my boyfriend, he'd be gone in seconds, lol. Keep reading, and thanks!  
  
Ron-Is-Mine- Thanks for all your reviews, and yes, you do get a whole bag of cookies! Lol  
  
Kikikiwi330- I have to say it. I love your pen name. It's great! Lol, thanks for reviewing.  
  
Sugar Bee- Did this chapter answer your question any more?  
  
Baci- You're my hero! Lol, thanks for reading and for all your help.  
  
Thanks to  
  
Serge99, OneDayFamous, JustPeachie, TReader, QuEen oF tHe UnIvErSe, Clara, Tigress33, Peaches- 503, Kat, ilovelupin, NiNa PoP, Microphone, NCDSbookworm, Sweet Stephanie, coo-coo birdie, rachel, flourishes, Smokey Joe, Albinofrog88, Luvcr8zy4TomFelton, skywisej, Bella Black, SAngel, kelpylion, SlapMeSilly, Lacasta Jungling, midnight- shadow, Arino Paesan, Alayna, Ross T. Van Akin, Mrs. B, Katie, Ingenious, emi, Cyndi, Kate, bratt, Straycat, Damita wooho, Mask,  
  
For all your reviews. I really appreciate it!  
  
~ Sugar High 


	7. Explanations

Hello-  
  
This is Sugar High (I think I'm Sugar High 4 now, but whatever) and this is the part of the story where I profoundly apologize to you all. I understand that I haven't updated in close to a month, and for that I'm very sorry. My grandfather passed away, and I stopped writing. I kind of stopped doing a lot of things. My grandfather was a man who believed that people could do anything they wished, as long as they tried, and he and my grandmother are the only two people I know that actually support my writing on fanfiction.net. So when he died, I lost the will to write. It's taken me some time to get over it, and continue writing. But. . . here I am. I'm back, kicking, and of course, writing. So PLEASE, don't give up on Discovering the Truth, and don't think that I'm a horrible author for not updating my story. I began writing another chapter to my fic just before he died, and I'm almost finished with it now, so cross your fingers, people, because it should be out within one or two days. Hopefully by Friday. Also. . . I apologize to those of you whose stories I have not read lately, or reviewed. I hope you understand. I'll begin reading/ reviewing them ASAP. I promise. Thanks for your understanding, and I'm very sorry that I haven't updated lately. Look for the next chapter on Friday!  
  
~ Sugar High 


	8. Surprises

Hey everybody~ Thank you SO much for all your reviews. I really appreciate them, and I hope you like this chapter as much- show it in a review! ~Thanks again~  
  
Disclaimer: Nothing is mine. Savvy?  
  
Chapter 6  
  
Ron was stunned. Hermione had never done anything like that before. Ever. In fact, the only thing she'd ever done that was even remotely close was what she'd done to Andrew earlier that night.  
  
Vaguely, he noticed that she was still kissing him, and he realized that he was kissing her back. Quite forcefully, in fact. He didn't hurt anymore, either. It seemed like the moment her skin touched his, Ron's pain disappeared.  
  
Then, as suddenly as it had begun, it ended. Hermione all but jumped away from Ron, leaning towards the other side of the bed. Her face was red, and she was trembling.  
  
Slowly, she reached towards the forgotten tray of food. She looked at Ron, and said meekly, "You never answered me. Are you hungry?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Are- you- hungry?"  
  
"Bloody hell!"  
  
"What is it, Ron?" Hermione asked calmly.  
  
"You- you can't do that!" Hermione didn't respond, she just raised her eyebrows questioningly. "Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about, Hermione! You can't keep doing these- these things! You're doing strange, rash, confusing things, and then you ignore them completely and ask if I'm hungry! My world does not revolve around food, you know."  
  
She snorted. "Sure. For your information, I haven't done anything rash or confusing, and I certainly don't consider myself strange. Now are you hungry or not?"  
  
It was Ron's turn not to reply. Instead, he leaned forward, cupped her face in his hands, and kissed her passionately.  
  
"You can't just- " Ron never let her finish her sentence, interrupting her with another kiss.  
  
Finally, they broke apart. Looking into her eyes, he whispered, "I can." Then he kissed her. "I will," he kissed her again, "and you're going to like it."  
  
"No problems there."  
  
Ron kissed her one more time before taking her hand, looking her in the eyes, and whispering the words he'd been trying to say for years. "I love you, 'Mione."  
  
There were tears in her eyes, but she responded with gusto. "I love you too, Ron!" Hermione lay down next to Ron, and the two stayed still for quite a while, enjoying the realizations they had come to, and reflecting over various events of the evening.  
  
"'Mione?" Ron asked, finally.  
  
"Hmmm?"  
  
"Why did you break it off with Andrew?"  
  
She sighed. "If you have to know, fine. For days I've been trying to picture my life in the future. I want to be in love, and married. With children, possibly. But I never dreamed of Andrew. I could never see myself spending the rest of my life with him. He was just a filler.. until I found you."  
  
"It was always you, Ron. You're a part of my present, my past, and my future. Always, and only, you." She stood, picked up the dinner tray, and walked into the kitchen. When she returned she lay down beside Ron with her head on his shoulder, and the two fell peacefully to sleep.  
  
~~~  
  
It took Ron two more weeks to fully recover. He and Hermione used a lot of that time to plot and plan for the future.  
  
Immediately it was decided that Ron couldn't go back to the Burrow. He thought that he should probably be someplace where his three-week disappearance wouldn't be questioned.  
  
Also, although he had recovered, 'Dr. 'Mione' as Ron had become fond of calling her, was afraid that he might have a relapse. Their newfound relationship was another matter altogether. As much as they both loved Molly Weasley, neither was particularly eager to tell her about their leap to coupledom.  
  
"I guess I'll get a flat of my own." Ron said, finally.  
  
"With what?"  
  
"I'll manage."  
  
Hermione's face was set, as if she was making a decision. "You could stay here, Ron."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You could stay here. If you think about it, that makes more sense than anything else. If you relapse, or even if you get hurt again, you can come here. I have a guest room, you can take it. Besides, we'll get to see a lot more of each other."  
  
Ron was smiling. "Sounds good to me. There's just one problem."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"All my stuff is at the Burrow. If we don't want to tell mum about.. us, we'll need a bloody good excuse for why I'm moving in here."  
  
"Because of your job, of course." She said this so nonchalantly that Ron did a double take.  
  
"My- my what?"  
  
"Your job." Hermione smiled smugly. "When you first came here I told your mother that you were in the area looking for a job. We'll just tell her that I needed someone to help me out in the office. You agreed, because I was having a hard time finding someone. Since you have a job now, you don't want to burden your mother by staying at the Burrow. However, you don't have enough money to buy your own flat. So, you'll be living here for a while."  
  
"Sounds good to me."  
  
~~~  
  
That night Ron and Hermione visited the Burrow. Molly Weasley was delighted to hear that Ron was finally getting a job, but she did take the time to inform Hermione that she was a little disappointed her brilliant son was taking a secretarial position.  
  
"Well, all great people have to start somewhere, mum." Ron replied, good- naturedly.  
  
Ron waited until the door had closed behind them on their way out to say, "You were spectacular, 'Mione! I don't think she suspects a thing. Mum means well, but if she knew we were together she wouldn't leave us alone for a second."  
  
Laughing, the couple walked out to the garden, where they could apparate back to their flat. They left just in time to miss Molly Weasley's entrance into the kitchen, so they didn't hear her opinion on the matter. "Arthur, I'm so glad they've decided to live together. This is the last step- after this they have to realize that they're meant for one another!"  
  
The following days passed quickly. Ron was settled into the flat in no time. The amount of time one can save by using magic is amazing, really.  
  
It was a time of surprises. Hermione got two that week, and Ron got one as well. The first came by owl. Hermione was washing the dishes one night when an unfamiliar owl flew into the flat and landed on her shoulder.  
  
It was carrying an envelope with her name on it, and when she opened it she found a check. "Ron, what's this?" She asked, showing him the note.  
  
"My paycheck." He said simply.  
  
"You get a paycheck?"  
  
"Most working people do."  
  
"Well, why is it addressed to me?"  
  
"Because I'm living with you. You're considered my caretaker, so you get the check."  
  
"Ron, this might sound like a stupid question, but didn't your parents ever think it odd to get a check from a strange owl every month?"  
  
"No. They just deposited the money straight into my parents Gringotts account. It's in shambles anyway, they never noticed."  
  
"Oh." Hermione thought that was slightly odd, but it was nowhere close to what happened next.  
  
The following day was a Monday. Hermione awoke to the smell of bacon, eggs, and most importantly, coffee. Following her nose to the kitchen, she discovered Ron. He was fully dressed, and looked as if he'd been up for a while.  
  
She took the mug of coffee he offered her, and sat down at the table. "Why are you up so early?"  
  
"Don't you start work again today?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Well then I guess this is my first day as your secretary, right?"  
  
She began to laugh. "Ron, you don't really have to be my secretary. That was just an excuse to your mum."  
  
"I want to."  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"I want to be your secretary. It will make your work easier, and you'll get everything done a lot faster."  
  
Hermione was stunned. "Well, then I guess you can come." Ron just smiled, and turned back to the bacon.  
  
~~~  
  
The final surprise, that Hermione and Ron received that night, was nothing like they'd expected. They returned home to find none other than Nymphadora Tonks their living room. Hermione immediately hugged her old friend, while Ron said simply, "It's good to see you safe."  
  
She nodded. "You too. I came to give you this." She placed a key in Ron's hand.  
  
"A key? What's it for?"  
  
She sat back down, and motioned for him to do so too. "Marshall's dead, Ron." Ron's eyes clouded, and he began to rock back and forth where he sat. Pat Marshall had been one of his instructors at the U.A. academy.  
  
"How?" He was trying to get the picture of Marshall out of his head. "He didn't even work in the field."  
  
"I know. The Death Eaters discovered our use of black owls a few weeks ago. They tracked one of them to Marshall's home."  
  
"And Sam- what happened to Samantha?" Ron had always been fond of Marshall's little girl. She'd lost her mother at birth, and was raised as an only child by her father. She and Ron had grown close during the months he was training."  
  
Tonks lowered her eyes. "Dead. They caught them during dinner when they were completely unaware. I'm sorry, Ron. I know you were close."  
  
Ron couldn't even speak. Next to him, Hermione squeezed his hand tightly.  
  
"We've developed these," Tonks continued. "Keys that have been issued to all U.A.'s. When you're needed they glow green, and the time and place of the mission appear on the side. "They can be carried around on your key ring to avoid suspicion."  
  
A few years before, a witch or wizard carrying a key ring would have seemed rather odd, but ever since Fred and George Weasley had invented unlockables- keys and locks that were resistant to the 'Alohamora' charm, they had become the choice safety precaution in the magical world.  
  
"We need you back, Ron. We're down two without you. It's hard enough to work without McHale, but you're practically the leader. We need your help."  
  
Ron sighed. "Of course, Tonks. I guess I'll be back.. whenever my key glows."  
  
"Thanks, Ron. Remember, we've been using these for almost a month now. We're not sure if the Death Eaters will recognize them or not. As long as you don't show them in public you should be fine."  
  
She rose to leave, and Ron gave her a quick hug. "I'll see you soon."  
  
"Yeah. Welcome back, Weasley." With that, she left the apartment. Ron turned to face Hermione, and she hugged him tightly.  
  
"I'm sorry, 'Mione, but I can't quit now. I have to do this for Marshall and Sam. And for you."  
  
"I know." She hated watching him go back to the career where he'd been hurt so badly, but she knew it was something he had to do.  
  
~~~  
  
The next few months were relatively uneventful. Ron began to go on missions again. Hermione got used to living with Ron, and their relationship progressed nicely.  
  
I'd like to end the story there. Just write a fluff paragraph that foretold future wedding bells and lives that were lived happily ever after. But I can't do that, because although the beautiful story did almost end there, a single, simple object got in the way of it doing so.  
  
A simple muggle phone that hung on the wall in Hermione's flat. Her line of communication with her parents and a few friends she'd left back in the muggle world. A phone that broke, and refused to be fixed by any magical methods.  
  
Hermione was forced to call a repairman. A wizard that knew a little about muggle objects. When he arrived that afternoon, she opened the door apologetically.  
  
"Hello. I'm so sorry to call you at such short notice, but my phone won't work and I need to call my parents to tell them I won't be able to make it to dinner tonight. I think there's something wrong with the phone line. I tried to fix it myself, but I couldn't, and Ron's at the store."  
  
Silently, he followed her into the kitchen. "Here, this is it. If you need me, I'll be in there." She motioned to a room connected to the kitchen.  
  
On her way out, she missed something the repairman did not. There were keys lying on the table, and one of them was glowing bright green.  
  
~~~  
  
As he let himself out, the man picked up his radio. "Hello?" He whispered into it. "Hello?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I found him. You were right, he has the key. What's our next move?"  
  
~~*~~**~~*~~  
  
Hmmm.. I really don't like that chapter very much. I just wasn't feeling it. At all. Oh well. Tell me, do you like or dislike? Please review, and again, thanks for all the reviews I got for that last chapter.  
  
And I would seriously like to thank all of you for your regrets about my grandfather. Those reviews were a nice thing to look at while I was going through a particularly rough period. Thanks again-  
  
~ Sugar High 


	9. Missing

Hey- I'm back, with another chapter. I hope you like this one- Personally, I think it's better than the last chapter. Not as much happens, but I think it's better written, and more in character. Please, after you read this, review, and tell me what you think. I heart you all!  
  
~ Sugar High  
  
Disclaimer: Nothing is mine. Savvy?  
  
Chapter 7  
  
Ron apparated home to an empty flat that night. As he put the groceries away in the kitchen he called to Hermione.  
  
"Honey- you here? Where are you?" She didn't respond. Slowly, he put the rest of the groceries away and began to search the flat for a sign of his girlfriend.  
  
"'Mione? Where is she?" Ron, being. . . well, Ron. . . was rather confused. He wandered around, trying to remember if he was supposed to meet her somewhere, or if she had mentioned that she was going anywhere. When he couldn't come up with anything, he shrugged.  
  
'Oh well.' She had probably just left to go to the store. Maybe she'd forgotten to tell him something she needed. He was just being paranoid- all that damn auror training.  
  
However, three hours later, around nine PM, he began to get worried again. Wand out, he searched the entire flat for any sign of a note, or a clue to where she might be. Then he searched again. And again.  
  
Ron picked up the phone. Blasted muggle contraption- he was still getting used to it. Hesitantly, he called Hermione's parents.  
  
"Mrs. Granger?"  
  
"Ron! Is that you, dear? How are you?"  
  
"I'm fine. Have you heard from Hermione?"  
  
"Not since this afternoon. She called to tell me you two wouldn't be able to make it to supper this evening, but that was hours ago."  
  
"She didn't mention that she was going anywhere? Did she need to talk to someone, or buy something?"  
  
"No- In fact, she told me she wouldn't be leaving the flat. Is there something wrong? Where is she?"  
  
"No, um- no, Mrs. Granger. Everything is fine. I'm sure 'Mione went out with a friend, and forgot to leave a note. It's nothing big. Thanks anyway."  
  
As Ron hung up the phone he wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead. "Bloody hell!" He was beginning to panic. Slowing down his breathing, he tried to calm himself enough to apparate.  
  
Ten seconds later he arrived at the Burrow. "Mum! Mum? Why the hell is everyone disappearing today? Fred, George, Mum! Dad? Hello?" Ron was frantically running through the Burrow.  
  
"Calm down!" The voice came from behind, and it stopped Ron dead in his tracks.  
  
"Mum!"  
  
" *What* is wrong?"  
  
"Have you seen Hermione? Have you heard from her?"  
  
"Sit!" She commanded. "You're going to give yourself a heart attack. No, I haven't heard from her today. Why?"  
  
"I don't know where she is. I went to the store this afternoon and when I got back she was gone. She still hasn't come home!"  
  
"So you do care about her then?" Molly Weasley was beside herself with excitement.  
  
"Of course I do- she's my best friend and we've been dating for six months." Ron put his head in his hands. "I just don't know where she could be."  
  
"Dear, I'm sure she's fine. This is Hermione Granger. The darling girl probably decided that she needed a book at the library. She was always such a smart child."  
  
He sighed. This wasn't going anywhere. "Where are Fred and George?"  
  
"At the shop- where else? Your father is with them. And Ginny is with Harry." Ginny had been out of school for about two weeks now.  
  
"Bloody hell- I completely forgot she's not at Hogwarts anymore. Are they at Harry's? Or did they go out?"  
  
"I'm not sure. You know, those two were much faster than you and Hermione."  
  
Rolling his eyes, he apparated back to his flat. Still no sign of his girlfriend.  
  
Ron knew that in truth he was probably being paranoid- that his auror training was getting the best of him, but something about this didn't feel right. He searched the flat for a fourth time.  
  
None of her stuff was gone- not even a jacket. Her purse was on the table, but her wallet was missing. There was no sign of a note. Hermione wouldn't have left without telling him unless there had been an emergency.  
  
Ron felt it, inside. Something was wrong. It was time to call in the reinforcements.  
  
~~~  
  
Harry Potter was sitting on the couch in the living room of his flat, receiving a massage from his recently- graduated girlfriend when he let out a gasp and jumped backwards.  
  
His girlfriend's brother's head had just appeared in his fireplace.  
  
"Ron?" Harry and Ginny both breathed the name at the same time. Harry was more than a little confused, and was definitely embarrassed.  
  
"Good, you two are there."  
  
"Um, Ron? This isn't exactly the best time."  
  
"Harry, I know Ginny's there. I don't care. I need you two over here, *now*!" His head disappeared.  
  
Harry turned to Ginny. "What was that about?"  
  
"I have no idea, but we'd better go." Harry slowly stood up and raised his wand to apparate. What was going on? Of course he would go, Ron apparently needed him, but why did Ron need him? He two hadn't talked much since they'd left Hogwarts.  
  
Ginny rubbed his back. "Come on, honey. Let's go see what it is."  
  
~~~  
  
Ron was pacing. He knew that wasn't a good sign. He was a bit curious as to what Harry would say when he told him his problem. Harry wouldn't know why Ron was so paranoid, and he had no real reason to worry about Hermione.  
  
In fact, neither of the two had really talked to Harry all that much since graduation. Ever since his battle with Voldemort- his final battle- Harry had been a bit different. He had always been a moody person, but this was extreme, even for him.  
  
The only person he would open up to was Ginny. Ron and Hermione had tried, of course. They just hadn't gotten very far. And Harry's career took up almost all of his time, so they rarely were able to see him. The two had decided to bide their time, waiting until Ginny was out of school. They knew she would be good for him, and that he would 'heal' faster with her around.  
  
Ron heard two resounding pops and turned around. Harry and Ginny were standing there, faces flushed, watching him curiously.  
  
"Oh, good. Have either of you seen Hermione?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Hermione! Have you seen her?" They both shook their heads no. "We need to find her."  
  
"What?" Ron sighed. This was not going as planned. He explained his story to a dumbstruck Harry and Ginny. Well, not *his* story. That would get him fired. Hermione's story- the one where she decided to go missing.  
  
"And you're worried?" Ginny asked, incredulously. "She's probably at the store."  
  
"For four hours?"  
  
"The library then."  
  
"Closes at eight."  
  
"Dinner with her parents."  
  
"Checked that."  
  
"She's with a friend then."  
  
"No! She'd have left a note. Don't you get it? She's missing!"  
  
"Ron, calm down. Hermione probably forgot to leave a note. Or it was urgent, and she couldn't. And why would she leave a note- maybe she went on a date. A last minute thing. Just because you live together doesn't mean she has to tell you everything."  
  
"For future reference, Harry, yes it does. And she is most definitely not on a date. Hermione's not the type to forget to leave a note, and she would leave one even if it were urgent. Unless something happened to her, which brings us back to our problem in the first place!"  
  
Harry was getting aggravated. Ron had no right to yell at him like this- why was he flipping so badly? "Ron- need I remind you that I care about Hermione too- I'm her other best friend, and she has been known to forget things once in a while."  
  
"Why the hell are you fighting me on this? I'm telling you, I know her, and she wouldn't forget. Even if she had, she'd have owled me by now!"  
  
Harry's eyes flashed angrily. "Since when do you know her better than me? You seem to think you know her better than anyone- herself even!"  
  
Ron's voice softened. "Since we were twelve, Harry. Since the day I turned fourteen and fell in love with her. Since Hermione and I started going out six months ago."  
  
Harry and Ginny were dumbstruck. "When- you two are- you. . ." Ginny tried to speak, but failed miserably.  
  
"In love? Yes. Living together? Yes. Dating? Yes. And she's missing, and I'm afraid that something has happened to her, and I wanted your help."  
  
He turned to face the window as a large owl flew in. "I'll bet that's from Hermione now." Ginny said, hopefully. Ron grabbed the parchment the owl was carrying, opening it quickly.  
  
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-  
  
Ron~  
  
I hope this reaches you safely. Where are you? You seem to have been doing a lot of moving today- no one could get in touch with you. There was a mission in Dublin tonight. You didn't respond to your key, so we sent you an owl. We figured you had left your key at home. The owl couldn't find you, which worries me. A lot. The mission in Dublin was minor- your presence was not necessary. However, I am worried about you. Are you safe? Are you ok? I hope this message arrived to you safely.  
  
Lots of Luck,  
  
Tonks  
  
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-  
  
Ron read the note and groaned. His day was only getting worse. He had missed a mission while off searching for Hermione. Ignoring the strange looks he was getting from Harry and Ginny he sat down to write Tonks a reply.  
  
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-  
  
Tonks~  
  
I'm fine. Everything is ok. Well, no it's not. The reason I didn't see the key is that it has been sitting on the table all day. Your owl couldn't find me because I've been apparating all over the place today, looking for Hermione. She's gone! Missing! I think something happened to her, but I don't know what. I'll owl you later.  
  
~ Ron  
  
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-  
  
As he sent his letter off with the owl he looked up at Harry and his sister. "Are you ready? Let's go- we have to look for her."  
  
"What was that?" Ginny phrased the question bluntly.  
  
"A letter. Not from Hermione. It doesn't help us any."  
  
Harry sighed resignedly. "Look, mate. I'll help you. But I'd like it put on the record that I think you're crazy. Just so that when she turns up I don't get laughed at too."  
  
"I'll help too- but I think you're starkers." Ginny added, brightly. "What would you like us to do?"  
  
"I'm not sure. I guess you can look around. See if anyone as seen her, or heard from her."  
  
"I think we can manage that. Let's go." Harry and Ginny apparated from the flat.  
  
"Gits." Ron muttered under his breath. He started pacing the apartment again. What was he supposed to do now? He glanced at the phone. Maybe he should call her parents again. However, he was afraid of frightening them as well. Ok, so the phone was a bad idea. What about- wait!  
  
Ron stopped moving. The phone. When he'd left that afternoon it had been broken. Now it suddenly worked? 'Someone must have been by to fix it.' He thought. 'Maybe they know something.'  
  
He rummaged through the papers on the counter until he found the number for the phone company.  
  
"Hello, you have reached Wizbell, how may I help you?"  
  
"Hello, this is Ronald Weasley. One of your men was out here today fixing my phone, and I was wondering if you could give me his name and the time he was here."  
  
"Certainly, Mr. Weasley."  
  
As soon as he hung up the phone, Ron sent another owl to Tonks, asking her to look up the name Avery Doyle. While waiting for her to owl him back he tried to figure out what could have happened to Hermione. Luckily, her reply came quickly. Doyle had a record. A serious one. The man was a Death Eater. Ron gasped. This was beginning to make sense.  
  
Another owl went out to Tonks, asking her what time she had set the keys off. When he received her reply, he panicked. According to the Wizbell operator, Doyle had been working on the phone when the key had gone off. And he was a Death Eater! If he'd seen the key. . . Ron shuddered. It didn't even bear thinking about.  
  
He continued to work the scenario out in his head. If Doyle had seen the key, he would have figured out that Ron was a U.A. But why had he taken Hermione? Leverage- maybe. Revenge- possible. But Ron didn't even know who the man was, so the two were highly unlikely.  
  
Unless. . . Ron got another idea. The new boss. The second dark lord, coming into power. What if he had Hermione? He gasped. If that was the case, then Hermione was in serious trouble.  
  
~~*~~**~~*~~  
  
Done. *Wipes sweat from forehead* I wrote that a few times, to try and make up for the last chapter. Not a lot happened in this one, but in case you couldn't tell, the story is coming to a climax. Again. Lol. So I promise, the next few chapters will be filled with action/ adventure/ Ron kicking butt/ Ron figuring out what's going on. And Ron is going to find out who the mandatory bad guy is, of course. So, review, and tell me who you think it is. Thank you so much for the reviews I have received already- I really appreciate them. Thanks!  
  
One of you asked me why I put in the part about Ron's salary. A reviewer read my fic and wanted to know if Ron was being compensated for his style of living, or if he would still be poor, so I thought I'd add that in.  
  
Thanks to: Ron Weasley, Strayc@t, EvilFireWitch, sum1, Sopwith, NiNaPoP, marn, Ross Van Akin, Ron-Is-Mine (although I do NOT agree with your name, he's so mine), TReader, DazzilinAngel555, AnonymousPHancock, Sweet Stephy, bluehoax (I'm glad you're getting into the story, I do that all the time too!), Topaz Waters, StRaWbErRiEs AnD BlUeBeRrIeS, midnights shadow of insaneness, Clichet, and ferpectly, for reviewing this chapter. I really appreciate it!  
  
~ Sugar High 


	10. The Dark Lord

I tried to post this about a week ago, but apparently it didn't show up on fanfiction.net. (Thanks to glitterduck for telling me). Hopefully it will work this time.  
  
Disclaimer: Nothing is mine. Savvy?  
  
Chapter 7  
  
Hermione slowly opened her eyes. She didn't know where she was- didn't recognize her surroundings. Blinking a few times, she tried to stand up. As she did, a door opened behind her.  
  
Instinctively, she reached for her wand. It wasn't there. Now more terrified than ever before, Hermione looked up to see who the intruder was.  
  
"I'm glad to see you're up. I was afraid that stupid boy hit you too hard."  
  
"Well, obviously he didn't. Now, what the hell am I doing here?" She was stalling for time, as she frantically searched her memory for any sign of what might have happened.  
  
"To hear such language from an ex prefect! You do remember how you got here, don't you, Granger?" The man sniggered.  
  
"Of course I do, I'm not an imbecile. I'm asking why I am here." She was grasping- she almost had it.  
  
"Well, Granger, don't flatter yourself. You weren't exactly wanted. However, your boyfriend was. Still is, actually."  
  
"It's a good thing you want him so badly, because he should be here any moment to kick your pathetic arse." She was speaking calmly, not truly into the conversation. The memory of what had happened was still just out of reach.  
  
"One can only hope." There was a tone in his voice that scared her. She hadn't heard anything like it in years. "You see, you pathetic little creature, I know about the undercover aurors. I always have. They never caused me any trouble, so I tended to ignore them. Until your boyfriend joined their league. He alone has caught and killed more of my men than every other auror put together. The worst part was, he never had any weaknesses. If I attacked a member of his family, there would be dozens of other Weasleys to hex me back, so they were out of reach. He cares about a lot, but nothing was ever good enough. Until you."  
  
"If he has an inkling of a suspicion that I have you, he'll come running as fast as his feet can carry him. He'll easily be killed, and for once my operations will go unhitched." Hermione was terrified. Ron was going to die, and it was her fault.  
  
The door opened again, but the man who entered slipped into the shadows. Hermione couldn't see who it was. And then it came to her. Shadows! That was the key. She braced herself as she tried to recall what had happened. . . She was waiting for Ron, who was taking an awfully long time at the store. She was pacing. . . he needed to come home. His key had gone off, and he didn't know.  
  
She was debating what to do. She couldn't apparate to him because she wasn't sure where exactly he was. But if the situation was urgent, they might need him. She could always go for him, but then he'd be worried when he got home. She stopped pacing when the lights in her flat went out. She muttered a simple spell with her wand, creating a small light, and lay the wand on the table.  
  
As she moved across the living room, she heard a noise behind her. She spun around, but there was nothing except darkness. Suddenly, she was being hit with a stunning spell. She tried to resist, but was only hit with another, and another. Hermione couldn't move. . . and then her world went black.  
  
Hermione brought herself back to reality, and glared at her captor. "What makes you think Ron wants you anyway? Why are you so high and mighty that you care about the other death eaters?"  
  
Draco sniggered. "Why, it's all in my name, Granger. Or didn't you know? It's been changed. From now on I expect you to call me Lord Malfoy."  
  
Hermione collapsed back onto the bed. This couldn't be happening. It wasn't possible- wasn't fathomable. "Oh. And one more thing, mudblood. I'd like you to meet my partner." The man stepped out of the shadows, a small grin on his face.  
  
Without another word, Hermione fainted.  
  
~~~  
  
Ron was on his 37th cup of coffee, and was eating sugar quills like they were as necessary as breathing. He had spent the last twelve hours searching for anything and everything he could find on Avery Doyle. Finally, he had an address.  
  
Ron apparated to the man's home, wand out, entire body shaking with a mixture of frustration and rage. Slamming the door open, he prepared to fight the death eater. But no one was there. Ron searched the entire house, but it was empty. Screaming with rage, he sat down on the front porch, letting all his emotions take him over.  
  
He needed to cry, run, and yell all at the same time. He needed to sleep as much as he needed to stay awake. He needed a break, and he needed a clue. But most of all, he needed Hermione.  
  
~~*~~**~~*~~  
  
Ron returned to the Undercover Auror base. He needed help. Inside he found the usual chaotic madness he'd gotten used to. Wizards running everywhere, papers flying themselves to their owners, and desks situated in such a way that they would have given the head of the fire department a heart attack. Ignoring it all, he made his way to the research department, and settled himself at an empty computer. Wizards had discovered how useful these muggle inventions really were. Especially when they'd been bewitched a little, to make them a bit more convenient.  
  
Ron opened a file labeled 'names and living spaces' and began to jot down the names of all death eaters that had not been captured or killed. He had his base. Now, all he needed was to search every one of these homes. Surely Hermione had to be in one of them.  
  
The first name on his list, James Achee, seemed a good place to start. Glancing at the address next to his name, Ron apparated to his house. Using James Bond worthy, yet totally unnecessary moves, he crawled up to the house. He glanced inside the window, to measure the difficulty of his task, and was shocked by what he saw. Inside was an elderly man, playing wizarding chess with two little boys who couldn't have been ten.  
  
Ron couldn't attack that. Not even to save his own life. Instead, he stuck around to the back of the house, where he crawled through an open window. Without disturbing the man and boys downstairs, he searched the entire house. There was no sign of Hermione.  
  
Sighing, he apparated out of the house, and headed down the street. This would never work. He couldn't search every death eater's house in the wizarding world; it would take him years. And whoever had Hermione could easily be hiding somewhere Ron would never suspect. He needed a better searching method.  
  
He thought about what a dark lord would need, trying to find something he could trace. He would need followers, which he already had, and there was no real way of tracing them. He would need a place to stay, but there were millions of those, and Ron had already discovered that they were impossible to search. He'd need to contact his followers, and visit them, trying to recruit more. . .  
  
Ron stopped moving. He had it! The dark lord had followers all over the world. They were everywhere! And he'd need a way to get to them. So naturally, he would apparate. If the person had apparated overseas there would be a record, in the overseas apparating office!  
  
Ron was inside the office within five minutes. He made his way to the back room, where the records were kept. Inside there was a woman, a U.A. employee, who granted Ron clearance to the files once he had flashed his key.  
  
He went through the lists of names, highlighting any he recognized and trying to determine who had done unreasonable amounts of apparating. One name continued to flash out at him. He ignored it at first, it was unbelievable, really. The idea of that. . . that person becoming the second dark lord was impossible. But when he found traces of the person apparating the day before Hermione's disappearance, all of his doubts vanished. It was time to pay a visit to the Malfoy residence.  
  
From the outside, the house looked deserted. There were no lights, no noise, and no visible signs of life. Not that any were to be expected in that household. He inched towards the house, but as he neared it, he heard a noise behind him.  
  
Ron whirled around just in time to block a hex thrown by the Malfoy's wizguard. "Impedimenta!" The man screamed. Ron dodged the red flames.  
  
"Scorcio!" Flames sprung up around the man's feet. "Accio wand!" Ron grabbed the man's wand as it flew through the air towards him.  
  
"No!" The man yelled. "Petrificus Totalus!" Ron sniggered. Didn't the idiot realize that he had no wand? He continued to walk, until he felt his entire body go rigid. 'Bloody hell!' he thought, 'The guy can do wandless magic!' Fighting off the curse, he felt the man's wand leave his hand and return to it's owner. Ron fought off the curse and rolled over just in time to miss the man's next blast of flame.  
  
"Wingardium Leviosa!" Ron lifted the man into the air, and when he dropped him, the man hit the ground with a loud crack. Ron winced. Walking over, he put the man into a body bind, just to make sure he didn't wake up any time soon.  
  
Glancing up at the house, he realized he was going to need reinforcements. He apparated back to the U.A. offices, this time in search of Tonks. He found her consulting with a few members of the team. When he explained what was going on, they were more than happy to help him out.  
  
The group apparated en mass to the Malfoy mansion. They positioned themselves outside every door and window on the first floor, and when Ron screamed, 'Now!' they burst into the house. Ron, who had come in through the front door, got a glimpse of a blonde head disappearing into one of the rooms upstairs.  
  
Disregarding the people around him, who were fighting with none other than the house elves, he followed the man upstairs and into the room. When he got inside, it was empty. Warily, Ron searched the other rooms upstairs. They were all empty. Not a single person in any of them.  
  
Downstairs, he was met with a bunch of sheepish aurors and 30 petrified house elves. "Tonks," Ron asked, his voice rising slightly, "what the hell happened?"  
  
~~~  
  
Once Tonks had explained that they'd had to petrify the house elves to even get into the house, Ron told her that the second floor was empty, and whoever had been there had escaped. The group began to search the house for any clues.  
  
Ron and Tonks searched the second floor of the mansion, while the rest of the group did the rest. They began in Draco's bedroom. The master bedroom, which he'd taken over years ago. "It's so cold, so empty." Tonks whispered. There was not a single personal item in the entire room.  
  
"It matches Draco perfectly. There's a guest bedroom over there- we should check it." The two moved into the guest bedroom, only to find that it was empty as well. They turned to leave, when Ron saw something sticking out from under the bed. It was a small box, tied with a faded ribbon.  
  
"What do you think is inside it?" Tonks asked, hesitantly. Without replying, Ron opened it. Inside, he found hundreds and hundreds of pictures of Hermione. They were wizard pictures- but they weren't the normal kind. Generally, the people in the pictures smiled, waved at you, and did things to amuse you. But the girl in these pictures obviously didn't know she'd gotten her picture taken.  
  
The pictures were all different. Hermione shopping, Hermione with Ron, Hermione sleeping, Hermione taking a shower, Hermione eating dinner, etc. Reluctantly, Ron realized that he was in most of the pictures- none of them were very old.  
  
He turned to Tonks, who was speechless. Without another word, the two turned and left the house, taking the box with them.  
  
~~~  
  
Back in his office, Ron was trying to put the pieces of his case together. He and Tonks had discovered a lot about Hermione's disappearance, but everything had led them to a dead end. It was obvious by now that Draco had become the new Dark Lord. And from the pictures in the guestroom they'd deduced that he had a partner. They still had no idea who it might be.  
  
Inside the Malfoy mansion it was apparent that the place had been abandoned in a hurry. Ron just had no clue where Malfoy and his cronies could have gone. It had been two days since he'd raided Draco's house and found the pictures, and during those two days aurors had conducted hundreds of raids on the homes of any and all death eaters associated with the Malfoy family. Nothing had been found.  
  
Ron looked up when Tonks entered his office. "I think I may have something." She sounded excited for the first time in days. "Ron- if you were in trouble, where would you run?"  
  
He thought about the question for a total of two seconds. "The Burrow. Why?" And then it dawned on him. Draco wouldn't just hide with anybody- and he would probably trust very few people to keep his arrival a secret. But he could always trust his pure blooded family.  
  
Turning to his computer, he looked up the Malfoy family and it's relations. A huge list came up, and Ron groaned. This would never work. Nearly half the wizards and witches in the wizarding world were on the screen in front of him. There was so much inbreeding between the old wizard families that the Malfoys were related to nearly everybody. Ron himself was on the list!  
  
There had to be another way. Another Malfoy family tree. He thought about his own family. The Weasleys had an old tapestry, stored up in the attic, just like Sirius's mother had. Now that he thought of it, they were fairly common in all of the old families. The Malfoys probably had one as well.  
  
Once he had explained his theory to Tonks, the two apparated back to the Malfoy mansion. They searched the entire house only to come up empty handed. Ron turned to leave, when he heard Tonks call out from behind him. "Ron, I'm stuck. Can you help me?" Her bracelet was stuck on a string from the couch.  
  
"Bloody hell," he said irritably. "Can't you just pull it?" She did so, and they were both shocked by the results. Her bracelet had been caught on a piece of cloth shoved between the couch cushions, and when she pulled the cloth out, they were looking at a piece of silk that mirrored the tapestry in the Black home.  
  
There were hundreds of names, although most had been crossed out. Sirius wasn't there, although his mother was. None of the Weasleys were there, but the Crabbes and Goyles were. There was one name that caught Ron's eye. It was almost glowing purple, and seemed to leap off of the cloth.  
  
Bellatrix Lestrange. "Ron," Tonks said, quietly. "Bellatrix has a castle not far from here. It's not overseas, and it's big enough to hold Malfoy and as many of his followers as he wants."  
  
"So I have to invade a castle?"  
  
"It looks like it."  
  
"Good. I always wanted to be a knight."  
  
~~*~~**~~*~~  
  
Hermione was waking up again. She groaned. Ron- where was Ron? She smiled, unexpectedly. He would probably never find them now, which meant he would be safe. She thought back, a few days before, when Ron had almost rescued her- almost saved her. He'd found Draco's mansion, and she'd heard him enter, with a bunch of aurors.  
  
She had been terrified. She thought Malfoy was going to kill him. Luckily, Malfoy was too afraid to do anything. He'd sent all of his men away, to wreak havoc on a muggle born, and had been alone when Ron came. So instead of fighting, he'd fled. Truthfully, Hermione was happy. She didn't want to see Ron get hurt, and now he wouldn't.  
  
She looked up as someone entered the room. Malfoy's partner. "I thought I'd tell you something to cheer you up, Hermione." She didn't move. "Soon, Draco is going to find and kill your little boyfriend. Frankly, I don't care. I know you must be afraid, but don't worry. He's not going to kill you when it's over. He won't harm a single hair on your head. You get to come with me."  
  
She shuddered, but didn't respond. "Don't you see?" He asked her. "We'll all be happy. Draco will kill Ron, and be able to do as he pleases, and I- I get you."  
  
~~*~~**~~*~~  
  
Please- don't curse the horrible author just yet. I'm updating as fast as possible. Review (because you are all cool like that) and make me happy!  
  
~ Sugar High 


	11. Almost

I'm back! _Dodges rocks and bad fruit thrown by angry readers_. I'm sorry guys- I became too busy and stressed with school to write. I know that is really no excuse. I would hate me if I were you- I left you guys at such a crucial point in the story. But I'm back, and I don't intend to go anywhere. Honestly. So here is the next chapter in my story... thank you all for reviewing and still reading.  
  
Disclaimer: Nothing is mine. (Except Andrew). Savvy?  
  
----------  
  
The light was beginning to fade as Hermione looked out of her window, peering at the surrounding lands, searching for a sign of... anything. 'A sign of Ron,' her heart secretly reminded her.  
  
"I'll take anything!" She cried out desperately. "Anything to know that you haven't forgotten me. That you're real- and not a figment of my desperate imagination." A tear rolled down her cheek, and she peered even farther into the darkness.  
  
Minutes later, Hermione received the most unexpected sign she could have asked for. At first it was just a blur- a flash of red between two trees. And then it was unmistakable. Riding towards her with a broomstick fast as lightning and as silent as a mouse, was a very angry Ron Weasley.  
  
Hermione held her breath as the first guard approached Ron. "Silencio!" Ron said firmly, but quietly. The guard clutched at his throat and Ron petrified him. Ron climbed back onto his broomstick, preparing to fly over the moat, but something stopped him. There was a barrier- some kind of spell that was preventing him.  
  
He stared at the moat for a minute and scratched his head in thought. Finally, he picked up his wand once more. Pointing it at the moat he whispered, "Productus!" A bridge appeared, linking Ron directly to the opening gates of the castle.  
  
Hermione was ecstatic. Ron was going to save the day, and with any luck they would be out of the castle before Malfoy and his goons even noticed. She turned back to Ron, just in time to see the guards come out from behind him.  
  
"Ron, no!" She shouted. He turned, but not fast enough to miss the blow dealt by one of the castle guards. He flew into the castle wall, and Hermione screamed. Suddenly, there was noise throughout the castle. Feet were pounding on the stone steps, and Hermione heard plenty of swearing from the wizards that had misplaced their wands.  
  
Hermione was in a panic. There was no way Ron could take on all these men, despite his apparent ability as an auror. She was standing in her window once more, wondering what she could do to help, when she saw what appeared to be fireworks at the edge of the forest Ron had come from.  
  
She gasped as one of the fireworks flew through the empty fields, hitting a death eater and sending him flying. She looked back towards the forest as more and more flames shot out, hitting various guards and death eaters, clearing Ron's path to the castle.  
  
Soon the flames were followed by their owners. Hermione actually jumped with joy as hundreds of aurors appeared out of the haze. They sped towards the castle with determined looks on their faces, clearing Malfoy's cronies out of their way with single movements of their wands.  
  
Hermione looked back down at Ron, but he wasn't there. "He's inside the castle," she whispered to herself.  
  
"It appears so, yes." The sound of Draco Malfoy's voice made her jump.  
  
"How long have you been standing there?"  
  
"Long enough to know that if I'm going to defeat Weasley, I'm going to need a bargaining chip." He walked over and pointed his wand directly at her head. "You."  
  
Hermione was silent. She couldn't breath, move, or call for help. For the first time throughout the entire ordeal, she was terrified for herself.  
  
Before long, she heard a familiar voice scream a spell, and the door flew off its hinges. Ron entered the room looking surprisingly good for all he had just faced. "Get off of her, Malfoy."  
  
Draco began to laugh and Hermione felt miserable. There was nothing she could do. Draco turned his wand to Ron, and shouted, "Crucio!" Before he could finish, Ron had dived out of the way.  
  
"Expelliarmus!" Ron shouted, and as Draco struggled to hold onto his wand, Ron pointed to the ceiling and muttered an inaudible incantation. Huge stones from the ceiling fell down, collapsing onto Draco's head. Draco Malfoy was finally dead.  
  
Ron wiped the sweat off his forehead and turned to Hermione. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I put you through this- "  
  
"Turn around!" Hermione shrieked. She was too late. There was a figure in the doorway, laughing hysterically. Ron was slowly sinking to the ground. Running to him, Hermione saw the cause of his pain. There was a glowing sword, sticking out of his back.  
  
There was a surprised look on his face. Then his eyes rolled back, and he hit the ground. He was gone.  
  
-----------  
  
Hermione awoke with a start. She was screaming, but no sound was coming out. Looking up, she saw that Malfoy's partner was standing over her. "Sweet dreams, Herms?" She tried to shake off his use of that nickname.  
  
"No, it was a nightmare Andrew. I dreamt I was with you."  
  
--------------  
  
"Can Mark Jacobs hack it?" Ron asked Nymphadora Tonks. "I have yet to see him in action."  
  
"He's good, but he hurt his leg last month- he'd be a gamble."  
  
Sighing, Ron closed his file and moved on. He and Tonks had been up the entire night, going through various files, trying to come up with the perfect group for the next mission. Ron wasn't going to take any chances. Everything was at stake here- they couldn't afford to fail.  
  
That evening he called his troops together. He had come up with a team of his thirty best aurors, as well as Harry and Ginny, and Fred and George. "We need some kind of plan." He explained. "A general mission outline..."  
  
His voice began to break, so Tonks motioned for him to sit down, and took over. "They have Hermione Granger. There will be a portion of you dedicated to helping her make it out alive. However, most of you will be attempting to capture or kill their new leader, Draco Malfoy."  
  
The only people who showed much surprise were Harry, and Ron's brothers and sister. He half smiled. They had reacted rather well to hearing the news about him being an auror. There had been only mild cursing, and out of the four only Ginny had fainted.  
  
The next morning, they set out. They apparated to a forest in front of the castle, and made their way towards the stone structure. Ron and his team led the way. As he glanced at Tonks he smiled. She had tied a ribbon around her wand in honor of Samantha, the little girl who had been murdered months before.  
  
As they approached the castle, hundreds of guards and death eaters surrounded them. Ron shot spells at anything not wearing blue, and gradually the number of death eaters diminished.  
  
He ran to the gate of the castle, turning to take one last look at his men. There was Simon, caring for a fallen auror. The twins were taunting four ugly guards, throwing various objects in their path. Harry and Ginny were fighting side by side, with Bellatrix herself.  
  
Silently, he wished them all luck before he turned and ran into the castle.  
  
----------  
  
Hermione was biting her nails with worry. What was Ron thinking attacking with only thirty men? Draco had ten times that many! Slowly she turned, as she heard the door close behind her. Draco Malfoy stepped into the room, and she gasped. Her dream was coming true!  
  
She took a step back as he pointed his wand at her torso. "Well, Granger. I knew there would be a time when you would succumb to me."  
  
Shaking her head no, she cried out, "You're going to lose this fight, Malfoy. And I can't be responsible for what Ron does to you when he finds you."  
  
"If the Weasel ever makes it up here." Draco sighed in mock impatience.  
  
"Trust me, he did." Hermione turned to the sound of the voice, and let out a cry of joy when she saw Ron standing in the doorway. He looked back and forth from her to Draco, and his eyes lingered when they saw Draco's wand, still pointed directly at her chest.  
  
Draco began to laugh and Hermione felt her shoulders fall. She couldn't do a thing to help the situation. She glanced around, searching for something- anything- that would help her. The only piece of furniture within reach was her bed. Suddenly she had an idea.  
  
Ron had now focused his wand on Draco. He was terrified. What if he angered Malfoy into hurting Hermione? He didn't think he'd be able to handle that. If he could just get Hermione away from Draco, he could use a spell to disarm him. He looked at Hermione, surprised to see that she was looking right at him. She had a serene expression on her face, as if nothing was wrong in the world, and this was all a game.  
  
Draco was looking at her too, obviously confused. Why wasn't she frightened? He would have thought she'd at least attempt to fight back. He'd obviously given the mudblood too much credit. A mistake he wouldn't make in the future.  
  
Hermione glanced at Draco to make sure he was distracted, before she made eye contact with Ron one last time, shouting, "Now!" Ron shouted a spell to disarm Draco, while she reached over and grabbed the nearest object, a pillow, hitting Malfoy in the face with it.  
  
As Draco scrambled to regain his composure, Hermione dove onto the other side of the bed, out of his reach. Draco was now standing, powerless, in front of Ron. Hermione could see the rage flowing out of the two men, but was unsure of what to do.  
  
Ron pointed his wand at Draco. "Avada- " He stopped. Clearing his throat, he tried it once more. "Avada K..." His voice faded away. "I can't do it- I can't kill him this way, Hermione." She nodded, tears in her eyes.  
  
"Ron, you saved me."  
  
And then she heard it once more. "Avada Kedavra!" Only this time the entire spell was uttered. And this time, Ron did not say it. Ron looked at Hermione, his mouth opened in shock, before he fell to the ground.  
  
Andrew, standing in the doorway, began to laugh. Hermione was vaguely aware of someone screaming, until she realized that it was herself. She ran to Ron's motionless body. "Wake up, wake up!" She couldn't stop screaming, and felt as if she were drowning in the tears running down her face.  
  
With a bored expression on his face, Draco picked up his wand once more. "Imobulus." Hermione felt her body go rigid as Andrew picked her up and he and Draco made their way out of the castle.  
  
-------------  
  
Harry was worried. He and a group of aurors had entered the castle shortly after Ron, but they had yet to find any sign of him, Hermione, or Draco Malfoy. The aurors were leaving, and Harry was making his way out of the castle, when he passed by an open doorway.  
  
Inside he saw a familiar head of tousled red hair. "Ron!" He ran in, shocked by what he saw. Ron was lying on the ground, motionless and lifeless. "Help us," Harry whispered, as he picked Ron up and made his way out of the castle.  
  
The aurors left the castle defeated. They had lost men, had seen no sign of Draco, and had failed in saving Hermione. They apparated back to the base, where Ginny sat crying over her brother's seemingly dead body. Simon rushed over, and as he ran his hands over Ron's chest his eyes opened wide.  
  
"He's not dead. He's not dead!" The aurors rushed to Ron's body, as Simon began to shout orders for the various medical supplies he would need.  
  
-------------  
  
Weeks later, Ron awoke to unfamiliar surroundings. "Where the hell am I?" He asked, to no one in particular.  
  
"Hospital," replied a familiar voice. Tonks stepped out of the shadows in the corner of the room. "It's a miracle you're even alive." Slowly Ron began to remember what had happened.  
  
"Hermione! Where is she?"  
  
"Ron, no one saw any sign of Hermione but you- she wasn't in the castle."  
  
"Yes, she was- I saw her, I spoke to her..." He trailed off at the look on her face.  
  
"Ron, I'm sorry. You must have dreamt it when you were asleep. Hermione wasn't there. We couldn't find a single shred of evidence that she'd ever been there at all."  
  
He let out a cry of frustration. "You don't understand- "He stopped as she lowered her head, tears in her eyes.  
  
"It gets worse, Ron. That was our only chance. I don't know how else to say this, except that there is nothing we can do. We lost the battle, along with most of our men. It's been weeks, and we can't even find Malfoy anymore."  
  
Ron laid his head in his hands. They had lost, and Hermione was gone.  
  
-------------  
  
Done! Wow... that was long. Ok, thank you to whoever read that, and I'm going to reinstall my sugar cube promise to whoever reviews. Please guys, I'd love to know who is still reading this, and who has given it up. New readers too- review and make me happy. Love and Sugarcubes!  
  
Sugar High  
  
Thanks to: lean, Persephone's- child, GDQ, Emmylou, Topaz Waters, Mask, Delia, Spawn of Piccolo, Bluehoax, MaNdAsFoRrOn, xzotic2986, chris-black, crazzzzzzzzzy kat, sweet stephy, Hermione 4eva, Urebriviel, Cheese Diva, Treader, SoundofSilence872, May, Ingenious, Greywind, EllaWeasley, Lissa, Hp fan, Mione Weasley, Hopeful Writer, deadnun, sarah, girlwithnoface, sunnyflower2005, starwars-freak, lid'l roque, waterlily37, and hermione30, as well as STRAYCAT and BACI- you guys are the best.


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